


The Gatekeeper's Chronicles

by Lyubo_Iv



Series: The Gatekeeper Saga [1]
Category: Doom (Video Games)
Genre: Confessions, Demons, Gen, Hell, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:21:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 49,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyubo_Iv/pseuds/Lyubo_Iv
Summary: Having just defeated one of Hell's most powerful generals, the Space Marine sits down to hear his dark story - a life riddled with terrifying secrets, merciless power struggles, intricate plots, deceit and treachery. This is the Doom universe... experienced through the eyes of a demon.
Series: The Gatekeeper Saga [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139759
Kudos: 6





	1. BIRTH

**Author's Note:**

> This one is very special - it was my first "real" attempt at writing fan fiction and the true beginning of my passion for writing. It all started as a joke - an experimental post published in the "Fan Fiction" section of the (currently extinct) PlanetDOOM forums. I was encouraged to continue by the people who read it, and so the joke grew into something more like a short novel. And the rest, as they say, is history...
> 
> Since the original forums have now passed beyond the veil, it is hard to determine exactly when the first chapter was posted, but I have considerable reasons to believe it was on (or very close to) February 3, 2005. Initially, I just wrote the text directly into the forum's post submission screen and didn't start archiving it as a DOC file until a bit later. The DOC's creation date is March 18, 2005 - about a week after I got my first laptop.
> 
> Revisions: Pretty minor, for the most part. I tried to keep this as close as possible to the original, I only fixed the obvious spelling/grammar/punctuation mistakes, and changed some words and sentences that didn't sound well (I was still trying to establish my style back in those days, so it was often clunky, I clearly needed more practice). I have made a number of revisions on the text over the years, with one of the main goals always being preserving the plot or the overall style in their original state.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the Chronicles... there are a couple of other works in the series too, so be on the lookout for them.

_I have always wanted to know the truth... but I went too far._

###  **CHAPTER I:** **BIRTH**

Come closer, stranger. Don't be afraid.

  
Yes, I am a demon – a Gatekeeper, the last of my kind. I am dying.

  
Don't look surprised – I might look powerful, but my wounds are too severe now and I will not be able to recover like that last time all those millennia ago. Things have changed so much since the time I was young. Or perhaps "young" is not the best term... well, you humans have a rather inconvenient time–measuring system... better fit for your short lives than the existence that is inherent to entities like me. Come, and listen to me. Listen...

  
My life is fading away... but still I have strength to tell you my tale. The tale of my homeland – Hell, as you, humans, call it. It is a tale of glory, hatred, anger, terror and perhaps... sorrows. For the tale of Hell is, indeed, dramatic in its essence. And you... marine, have played roles that even I cannot comprehend... And I feel that there is still more for you to do.

  
How it all began? I do not know. Baphomet knew. But He is dead now... you killed him, didn’t you?... I do remember when I was born. Born? Is that the appropriate word? I am not sure. I will try to make my tale as comprehensible as possible in your crude human language.

* * *

How can something be born out of nothing? Doesn’t it have to be conceived and nurtured as it slowly grows? Those are principles that are valid for any living being... except maybe for those that were spawned in Hell by the whims of their masters. Beings like me. Beings, for which the word “born” simply does not fit. I would rather describe my emergence into the Universe as _summoning_.

  
I was summoned forth into service by my master – the great demon lord Baphomet. An entity more ancient than even I, or anyone else, could possibly imagine. I don't know how He came to exist – the Universe holds many great secrets and that would be one of them. I was only sure that He knew many secrets – he was older than anything in Hell, and many thought that He had witnessed the Beginning itself, whenever it might have been.

  
I remember the first moments – dim red light, distant moans, and a sulphurous odor in the air. I was summoned into existence. I was alive. I drew breath. The thought of that came as a shock at first. When, you ask? Ah, it was probably long ago your planet, what was the name... Earth, even existed. So long ago... so many memories and so much pain. And they still hang heavily upon me.

  
I was standing before my brethren – the Gatekeepers, carrying the duty of keeping watch over the eternal Gateways of Hell. Portals that led to so many places... There are many worlds – you already know that. Countless and various – scattered throughout dimensions and universes. Or even beyond them. Hell is only one of the many worlds – a more special world though for it was charged with energies of mystic origin. Energies that made Hell the gathering point for the souls of all dead evil creatures across all worlds. Yes, all evil that die violently came to Hell to become eternal servants of my master.

  
So as I was telling you, Baphomet summoned us all. We were thirteen. Thirteen Gatekeepers that were to lead Baphomet's armies into fierce battles when the time would finally come to conquer other realities and fulfill His desires. What? Ah, I know – thirteen is your "unlucky" number. So you now have an idea about the reason for this, eh? I explored the world in which I was born and I learned its secrets. I will share them with you now – you deserve this honor.

* * *

Hell was a vast realm. And I think that I should begin with its very basics so that you clearly understand that, which you have fought so much, yet you never fully understood. How could you? Neither side in the conflict between us ever thought that there would be communication and understanding between us. Not that you or we wanted to communicate – we followed our desires, just as there are many truths. Demons had always struck terror in all other races with their determination to achieve their goals and follow their Lord’s commandments. And when talking about the infernal denizens, we should start from their places of origin. Demons inhabited three primary locations.

  
The Monster Condo was the home of those of the Damned who constantly delved into the dark arcane arts and kept an enormous library there. The Condo was situated far to the west of the great Obsidian Canyons. Apart from its libraries, it attracted demons with its Underworld Temples and Halls of Slaughter... It is gone now – Baphomet's death brought devastation to many corners of Hell. This is sad, but what is sadder is that I feel nothing when I think of that. The libraries offered much for any who sought knowledge, especially knowledge in the fields of magic and the dark ways of the Underworld. The archives kept there were the most thorough source of information that I have seen of all worlds that I have visited. Even I have made contributions to this lost collection as I recorded my journeys to the human world and the things that I learned there.

  
The Pandemonium was home to the many warrior–demons that roamed the plains of Hell and looked for Gates to enter other worlds and revel in carnage and plunder. Inside this fortress were great armories, storages of cursed demonic artifacts and treasuries – filled with loot that our warriors had pillaged over the millennia. I know that the warriors there fought savagely to protect Pandemonium and yet you managed to survive. Sometimes I respect you, human, for you may be my enemy, but a worthy enemy – one that makes me strive harder... I was not a warrior to enter the fray and I visited the Pandemonium only a few times. Yet, I was astonished by the collections of weapons there, as well as by the tales of the great demonic warriors who talked with me about their feats on other worlds.

  
The Spirits' World was a fiery cave inhabited by embittered souls and evil spirits. Those were hostile creatures that roamed the forgotten halls in their eternal torment. When you, humans, appeared, the souls of your dead were the most powerful addition to our collection. Specimens really wicked and of outstanding quality. The ethereal creatures that inhabited that place had built one of the most powerful infernal temples that I had ever seen. The dark throne it featured emanated energy that felt so sweet and compelling, yet only the ancient Arch Viles were allowed to sit there and conduct dark rituals that strengthened Hell and all of its denizens. Besides, few were those who were allowed to visit the Spirits’ World.

* * *

  
There are other specifics of Hell, but I will tell you about them later... After you learn about Hell, I will speak of its complete history over the eons and about the role that you played in the events that unfolded. And what will happen next... you will be the one to see the future after I am gone, and I feel that there are more dark things to come and the fall of Hell is certainly not the end of all threats to your world.

  
The Earth has always been special – you were the only world that, somehow, knew of Hell's existence, though some humans did not believe... fools! How had you found out about our existence? Religious texts? Or perhaps the intervention of our enemies from other worlds. I was charged with watching humanity from the moment you appeared as an intelligent race. That was when I was... "young," so to say. I roamed the Earth in the form of a mortal, and I sought your weaknesses. I did so much – more than any human can imagine.

  
I keep getting distracted! I will try to stay as focused as I possibly can in my current state. I will now tell you of what can be described as my "youth" in Hell...


	2. GUIDANCE

###  **CHAPTER II: GUIDANCE**

  
In the time when I came to exist, I was not confident in my abilities and I had much to learn. You see, marine, we are not that different – we have to obtain our experience from external sources. When I first met my tutor, Baphomet, I felt strange as the honor of being instructed by the great Demonlord Himself – well... it was too much for me. What? Yes, it is the same with you humans...

  
And at that time I was not as enormous as you saw me now – I was the size of a Hell Knight – a little bigger than you, human... And still I could change my size in accordance to the situation that was at hand. I was not bound to the limitations that other beings possess – my physical form could be changed and adjusted as I wished, and that ability improved as I grew older. I was even able to assume the outer appearance of other species – humans included. Under such masks I have walked upon many other worlds, though the Earth was the place of my, let’s say, special interest. The Earth was specifically attractive for all in Hell and its dark forces constantly strived to manifest themselves on that plane of existence.

  
My infernal guide and master taught me in the form of an ethereal apparition that was always by my side. I was to learn the ways of warlock magic and demons' wisdom at a major construction site during those ancient times. The Unholy Cathedral was being constructed at that time, and Hell Knights, the mighty offspring of Baphomet's beard, had come from the darkest corners of Hell to build the mighty edifice. I was to command a group of those builders and study as I experimented and watched the work of others. That was my first real task and I remember it fondly.

  
Imps were charged with the supply of materials – from the Obsidian Canyons, they brought rocks, crystals and metal, riding on the backs of demons (you called them “pinky demons,” a name that I find rather annoying). My first true test was to create a sacrificial chamber that would serve to gather the blood of Hell's wretched victims. Those victims... I haven't seen them – only once I had a glance and saw a strange–looking creature that was in terrible pain and struggled to go away from its tormentors. One of them lost patience... and simply ripped the creature’s heart off.

  
When the chamber was finished, I realized that by observation and taking part in the work, I had grasped the most basic principles of warlock magic and necromancy  
– principles that would serve me well later as I advanced in power. I also worked very hard and had gained confidence in my abilities. I got to know the other species of demons and what they were capable of. And I also realized that the path to power was long and hard and there was still much for me to learn before I could assume my place in the great scheme of all things.

  
When the Cathedral was finally complete, it was to keep Baphomet's book of wisdom – the Unholy Bible that was written with his blood on sheets of his skin. It was also to be inhabited by a special kind of Hell Knights. We, Gatekeepers, were gathered on the top of hill somewhere in the steamy Plains of Anguish. Baphomet wanted us to give away some of our blood. This was my first encounter with pain – the dark blade cut through my flesh and my blood was spilled into a golden pot. As I clutched my bleeding arm, I saw that the Hell Knights chosen by Baphomet would drink from our blood. Their bodies became bright red. Their eyes shone with supernatural green light. I sensed great power that rose in them. From that moment on, they were to be known as the Barons of Hell. Powerful warriors and magi – created by Baphomet's mere whim.

  
After that painful experience, I was sent to the volcanic temples of the Mountains of Madness. There, I was taught by one of the oldest Cacodemons (I cannot remember his name anymore) – the wardens of those who would be tortured for eternity in pits of boiling tar... I read huge tomes about the worlds beyond my own. About Gates. About controlling those Gates – the privilege of Gatekeepers. I also studied vast tomes of demonic knowledge, as I had to know everything about the inhabitants of Hell if I were to summon them to battle. Even though I had a new tutor, I could still feel Baphomet's presence close – he was watching me, as he watched all other Gatekeepers... looking for the one worthy to be his most trusted lieutenant.

  
I had to give blood many more times – the Barons of Hell were getting more numerous and more powerful. I got used to the pain and didn't notice it anymore. I had grown experienced and more confident. The time of my final test was near and I spent much time in the temple's libraries, wishing to be well prepared for it, as that would be vital for my future and position in the brutal hierarchy of Hell.

* * *

That night I felt scared. Baphomet's apparition stared at me, as did the Barons of Hell that were gathered all around me. My last test – I had to open a Gate and then close it with immaculate precision. I concentrated. Raging thoughts passed through my mind as I focused my will at one spot in the emptiness before me. I felt great power rising and chaotic energies that swirled beyond my perception. Then I felt it – the fabric of reality was slowly tearing to let me see a ray of dim light. I felt the rift and reached out with my consciousness to grasp its edges... I simply wanted it to expand.

  
And so it did. A portal opened before me, and my feeling of satisfaction and relief dampened my exhaustion. Through the rift, I saw your world – lifeless at that time, rocky and dark. Then I slowly released the ties of power that I held. I did it slowly as I knew that a gate closed fast might explode with catastrophic force. The portal slowly buckled in upon itself and with a hissing sound went out of existence.

  
I had succeeded.

  
Baphomet's apparition came closer and told me that I was indeed a worthy Gatekeeper, and a true harbinger of Hell’s power and wrath. An official member of the Brotherhood of the Thirteen – the ones that would soon be among the most powerful denizens of Hell. But before we could assume our positions we had to do one last ritual – we had to go away and wonder throughout the vast realm of Hell and return after no less than thirty–three years. We, the Thirteen, had to wander off into the burning wasteland to explore it... and to gain real experience from the world around us – the ultimate part of our learning.

  
Baphomet was pleased, really pleased – he gave us an opulent feast for our effort and achievement. He then told us that when we return, we would have to go directly to his citadel – The Icon of Sin. It would be there that he would personally proclaim us his lieutenants and we would assume our rightful positions as some of the highest authorities of Hell – destined to lead and conquer.

  
And so I set off... to wander through Hell for thirty–three years... A journey that helped me learn much about my realm and myself. And, of course, enough time for me to think over everything that was on my mind, undisturbed.

* * *

What? Ah, you're impatient, human. You want me to go straight to the part when you crossed my path – the invasion of Phobos and Deimos. No. One thing I learned in the Cacodemon's temple was that you would never have the entirety of wisdom, unless you've looked at the bigger picture. Be patient – you shall learn all. That would be my only legacy. Yours is the honor of accepting it.

You may disagree with me, but be assured – at the end of my tale, you will know that everything you hear is of great importance. I would not do this if I was not convinced that it was necessary. You are free to leave if you wish – I will not stop you. Decide now – go away or stay. You would prefer to stay? Ha, I can almost feel curiosity eating you from within! If you really want to stay, interrupt me no more and listen...

I will not tell you in details about my journeys through Hell – thirty-three years are excessively much to be covered in detail as you would like it to be. I will only tell you that that time I consider the best part of my life, when I wandered through caverns, plains, mountains, seas, canyons and infernal forests. But I will give you some detailed information of Hell in terms of its nature and... geography was the word, right? As you have noticed, I have learned a few things about your human languages over the eons... I will now tell you about Hell and its greatest wonders.

  
So that is what Hell was and what it consisted of...


	3. REALM

###  **CHAPTER III: REALM**

  
Well, as much as I can remember... You have been to Hell twice. No other unannounced visits? Twice, indeed. And you survived both times – I was quite impressed knowing just how weak and pathetic humans are. Impressed ever since you made it out of Dis and did not lose your spirit even after you saw that the Earth was invaded. It was then that I realized that you, humans, were probably stronger than any demon ever suspected. Still, you were mostly flawed – a creation that I could never appreciate.

  
I am digressing again... the blood loss is weakening me and time is running out. So where was I... ah, yes – I was to tell you about Hell and its former splendid glory. Do not smile! Glory there was, ambition, and the will to go on towards the Great Goal. You know the phrase “demonic frenzy”, don’t you? More than frenzy – undeniable zeal drove us and gave us strength overcome all obstacles that could emerge on the way...

  
If we try to look at Hell in terms of your incredibly useless human concepts, it may be perceived as a planet, but a planet trapped within a clearly unique configuration of time–space.

  
You don't understand? I don't think that you will ever see it as I do, but still – Hell is a dimension, not a planet in a galaxy like your world. It still possesses a spherical form, and beyond our sky lay endless chaos. Beyond the Earth's sky, lies your solar system, right? So Hell is a vast realm under that endless chaos, from which we draw our endless power. In oceans of molten rock and metal lie several smaller and two greater continents. There are also many islands that housed hellish monasteries and decayed reliquaries, containing things locked there by Baphomet, things that even He would not talk about.

* * *

One of those great continents you've visited – the first time you descended into my realm. This continent is divided into two, by a great mountain, much higher than your planet's highest peak. This is the Mountain of Agony. To the east from it lies the darker part of the continent as the mountain throws its great cold shadow over the rocky plains. This darker part is called Inferno and it is an important area – the whole plateau and nearby plains and hills are heavily fortified. The area could only be entered through the... Hell Keep. You have been in the Keep – but you passed through it.

  
Beyond the Keep lay the Pandemonium, home of demonic warriors; the House of Pain, providing fresh blood for our nourishment; the Unholy Cathedral, domain of the Barons of Hell; Mount Erebus, the forge of Hell's armor and weapons; and Dis, the capitol palace of Inferno – about it I will tell you later. Be patient – your patience helped you survive. It makes you different from the others. And it will remain your true friend for many years to come.

  
To the west of the great Mountains of Agony lay the plains of demonic cities. The Catacombs, the Chasm facility, the Spirits' World were situated close to the Mountain. To the southwest, very close to the south shore of the landmass, lay the Great Obsidian Canyons – deep and vast, with rivers of molten magma flowing through their crags. Who inhabited this place – I'll tell you later. They are creatures you know well, and many times they almost succeeded in killing you. And far to the north of the continent lay a fortified area, where the heavily guarded citadel of Baphomet was built.

  
Far to the west of the Canyons, near the west shore of the landmass, lay the Monster Condo and its great libraries where I spent two years during my wanderings... The smaller continents – they were less populated and mainly served as building grounds for many temples dedicated to our lord – Baphomet. One more important such place is the landmass where the Mountains and Madness and their dark volcanic temples were situated. I was tutored there in my "youth". And I revisited that place many times, seeking answers during my journeys.

Far to the south, beyond the burning seas and the lower end of Inferno, were the massive Mountains of No Return. As their name implies, no one knew what could be found in that area, and no one really cared. It was said that there were tombs, ancient tombs that were hidden within the smoke–shrouded lands of those mountains. Still, that was not enough to arouse any interest in a demon, and the area remained unexplored and desolate.

I remember... during my journeys, I came across a dark forest, not a forest as you Earthlings know it, but a forest of crystals and bones. In that infernal forest I saw a tower built of iron. Dark and brooding, it sat there – silent and solid. I knew demons were afraid to visit this place. Even I shuddered as I felt the emanation of something really vile, vile enough to scare a demon, from that tower. I dared not approach it, but I remembered its location and promised myself that one day I would return and explore it.

Little did I know what that second visit would bring me.

* * *

Hell’s magical nature was truly unique – a highly complicated configuration of energy currents, space-time anomalies, deviations in the fabric of existence and focusing of many power channels that siphon dark forces from all other worlds into Hell. The concentrated energy powers an enormous nexus of chaos centered around Baphomet’s citadel. That nexus is the source of Hell’s power and the starting point for its spreading throughout existence itself. The accumulation of chaos contributed to Hell’s unstable and utterly evil nature. The swirling energies raged across the vast scorched plains of the realm and its burning skies.

  
What is it, your thoughts are disturbed. Sun? What about the sun... Our sun? Hell’s sun? Our... ugh, we do not have a "sun" as you, humans, know it. There are many arcane light sources of molten metal in the chaotic sky above us, but they have never been of interest to any of us. They were just there and I roamed under their light and heat. No one seemed to care about them – they were just up there, and that was enough.

  
I wandered through many places, and spent much time in contemplation as I stayed in some of those locations for longer periods. I remember staying at the Slough of Despair, to the west of the Hell Keep, exchanging thoughts with the tortured souls of creatures I never knew, yet was interested in. I also spent much time in the House of Pain, wasting my time drinking fresh blood and walking around the blasted plains, alone with my thoughts. Indeed – Inferno was my favorite part of Hell and I spent much time there, studying its secrets and peculiarities. It is as if I felt that one day the knowledge I gathered would help me. And Inferno was the place of your first visit to Hell after you descended from Deimos.

You know, Deimos is still there – hovering above Inferno, lifeless and ravaged by demons and your outbursts of plasma gun shooting. You're a... a, how was it, human language is so crude, isn’t it? Trigger–happy? Yes – that's what you are. At some places, you inflicted more damages than even our warriors did! It is a wonder how you managed to survive with an unstable psyche like yours.

  
On your second visit – in the area to the west of Inferno, you saw some places that are not indigenous to Hell. I will tell you later about those places – areas of great evil that hell consumed over the eons.

  
You are curious about history? Enough with "geography"? Fine – I will go back to the tale of my life, and tell you about my first true battle with another species...


	4. ENCOUNTER

###  **CHAPTER IV: ENCOUNTER**

  
This happened at the time when I had finished my wanderings through Hell and returned to Baphomet's citadel, the Icon of Sin, where I would be proclaimed his lieutenant together with the other twelve. You have seen my Lord, marine, and you know how he looked like. The ceremony that took place was long and sophisticated and I would not go into details. Hell was getting stronger and the time for conflict was at hand.

It could be said that we craved conflict – our lust for slaughter and pillaging was enormous, and our patience was running out. You had the opportunity to see our armies, and the destruction that they left in their wake. You also know that our army was supported by merciless undead servitors, vicious spirits of the vengeful dead, and cybernetic constructs that look as if they have crawled out of your worst nightmares. Together, all types of creatures formed the mightiest army that is known to any species. The fear of this army’s unrelenting advance gave Hell an even darker image that appeared in various religious teachings as the symbol of ultimate evil. Not that the image was wrong – our malice was unmatched, and the superstitious fears of mortals were not mere deceptions.

The conquest of realms was our final agenda, laid down by Baphomet, and embraced by every dark inhabitant of his domain. At that time, the Earth was desolate, but the great Master of all demons promised that one day, a race would arise there, and it would become our ultimate victim. Back then, I did not know how He was so sure about the emergence of the human race. Now I know all, and soon you will learn that secret too.

  
It so happened that the first victims of Hell would be a race dedicated to advanced technology. They had engineered a method of Gate–traveling – an inferior technological imitation of true Gatekeepers' powers. We, the Thirteen, sensed their experiments as they produced torrents and disturbances in the fabric of reality itself. We watched them. They were undoubtedly advanced though their bodies were frail. They used their Gates to explore the Universe, sending expeditionary groups to distant lifeless worlds, seeking natural resources for their colonization agenda.

  
Until one day, they made a mistake.

* * *

  
The surge of energy that we felt was more powerful than before. Within moments we realized that a Gate was opened in Hell and those alien creatures had sent a huge scouting party, armed with powerful weapons. They were hunting for demons.

  
Little did they know that they had opened a Gate at a place that would be their doom. Exploring the areas around the Obsidian Canyons, they had awoken its terrible inhabitants – the Nameless ancient demons – giant masses of muscle and rage that stomp through the battlefield and destroy everything in their path... You have seen them before, marine, though they looked differently and had high–tech cybronic implants. You mortals know those fierce destroyers as... Cyberdemons. Indeed, those ancient tyrants lived in that canyon and in their fury, they utterly exterminated the alien scouting party. The invaders could not even attempt to defend themselves.

  
Baphomet decreed that intrusion into His realm were an unforgivable offence that He could not bear. The invasion of their home world and swift retribution was at hand.

  
This war lasted for five months. It was probably the first real campaign that demons led, utilizing their immense bloodlust, excellent combat skills, and burning hatred. The battles were glorious, but there is no time for long vivid tales. I will only tell you of my first real battle experience.

  
After successfully opening my Gate, I, for the first time, had to control it and summon forth the hordes of Hell. Being Baphomet's lieutenant I had the power to be morphed (for a short time) into my current form – a giant demon that could be integrated into machinery. I felt the Gate as if it were a part of my body. Then I reached out with my consciousness and sought the children of Hell. Then I concentrated – a pod of power came into my mind and I thought of protruding it into existence, with its core – the heart of a demon.

  
And it worked – a metal pod with skulls on its sides came forth and flew through the humid air. It landed and shattered into pieces – and a Hell Knight proudly stood up from the debris. Filled with confidence, I summoned forth many other demons – Barons of Hell, Imps, and Cacodemons. Once I had fully mastered that technique, I could muster the ravenous legions of Hell. This first battle of mine was bloody and victorious.

* * *

I fought many other battles – in deserts, frozen wastelands and mountains. I learned of the advantages and dangers of those various types of terrain and how to best make my strategy to various situations. I also learned that I had to always watch for any threats towards my only weak spot – the Orifice of Summoning, the hole in my forehead that was an opening into my burning brain and its swirling summoning powers. Through there I was able to “grab” and instantly carry my troops to any place I wanted.

  
The war was not won easily – the aliens had advanced armor and plasma weapons that gave them an advantage over our warriors. This was rectified when the Barons of Hell launched a massive assault on that civilization's center of power. It was a slaughter to remember. Still, we did not destroy their cities completely – we preserved or corrupted them. Their planet was to be an outpost of Hell... What? Hah, I knew you would ask whether it still exists. I won't tell you. It will bother you for a long time – you will spend days and night wondering about that last outpost of Hell and does it still exist... Worry not – you'll never find it so do not waste your absurdly short life looking for it. The Universe is vast.

  
In the final battle to claim their world, we, Gatekeepers, had the duty to summon forth more and more hordes of demons. We were attacked several times, but those aliens did not know what our weak spot was – the orifice of channeling that is on my forehead. They tried to win with power, but we won with sheer numbers. Their defenders were literally drowned in the waves of our invading forces. Soon afterwards, my warriors spread through the city and all Hell broke loose. It took us two months more to wipe out all residual resistance and dominate the planet.

  
With the conquest of those creatures, we had gained experience, their planet for a new outpost to build and, most important, their technology. Technology that would make us much more powerful than ever before and change the way we wage war by adding some important additions to it.

  
I will now tell you about the new things that came to Hell with the conquest of that alien race...


	5. EMERGENCE

###  **CHAPTER V: EMERGENCE**

  
At that time, Baphomet gathered some of the Gatekeepers and sent them to fulfill a special task: they were to design and build a great technological facility above a natural fissure in the crust of Hell. Maybe it was for this reason that this factory was named "The Chasm." You remember it, marine. There were many times you nearly fell from those treacherous thin walkways...

  
I was not among those who were building it. A few of the other Gatekeepers and many of the Hell Knights and the Barons of Hell were engaged in the assimilation of the stolen technology, and the construction of the site. I also knew that there would be immense feasts and pride with the memorable victory, but I could not be there. I had a more important mission, a mission that will intrigue you greatly.

  
It was at that time that a primitive civilization emerged. That civilization played a crucial role in the history of Hell and you know very well who they were.

  
The humans.

* * *

Your appearance in the Universe was expected and the result of many events from a very distant past. Unexpectedly and quickly, your people started developing their primitive society, and formed the first real empires on the face of your planet.

  
At that time, you had several mighty civilizations scattered throughout your continents. The one that caught our attention was an ancient people that inhabited... uh... South America is it? Yes, their name was the... hmmm, I never really learned it, human names are not that important to me. Those people had an inclination towards the worshipping of demons and their infernal home. My mission was to visit them, in corporal form, and ultimately bring corruption and darkness unto them. My first special assignment. So Baphomet morphed me and cast me down into your young world.

I had the freedom of exploring your species and learning of your strengths and weaknesses. Your civilization was at a low stage in those years, and I knew that I could easily make you obedient through the demonstration of power. Intimidation and rewards for the loyal would be the perfect tool for me to manipulate the primitives, and having these thoughts in mind, I entered your world, seeking to meet them.

  
Those ancient people were not quite polite with me at first, but soon they were afraid of me, after I demonstrated my power by burning one of them alive. Their High Priest realized that I was the "Promised One" – the emissary from Hell that would have to come and give them great knowledge and the dark power. Thus I set on to give them evil knowledge.

  
I taught those helpless people many things. Necromancy, human sacrifices, demon summoning, mutilation of the flesh, corruption of the soul and more... They devoured everything with surprising joy and naïveté, falling deeper into the darkness that I had prepared for them. By their help, we now had a steady flow of evil human souls that were to be Hell's greatest asset. I was the ruler of those people together with a chosen council of the most powerful necromancers. It was them that created the first of the new type of Hell soldier – the Former Human. Those undead servants were relentless warriors, and we could raise even more from the bodies of our slain victims. It was an age so dark, and your tiny–brained historians suspect nothing about it. And if they knew, they would wish they never found out about it – humans do not accept easily the thought that they had been manipulated by greater beings from the Beyond.

  
Under my guidance, those ancient people were to build the greatest outpost of Hell's power on Earth – the Temple of Darkness, the same temple you passed through yesterday before you encountered me. A great temple of black marble it was – surrounded by fortifications of bone and flesh. And the trench around those fortifications was filled with human blood – preserved fresh by my powerful spells that stay even today (the meat was still juicy, was it not?). It was in this temple that I conducted my experiments, and created the Blur Orb – the artifact that allowed you to become partially invisible when you used it. Yes, that same Blur Orb... Baphomet was excessively pleased with my discovery and gave me even more power as he saw the strength of my loyalty. Artifacts and arcane knowledge were gathered and stored in the Temple, the city around it grew, and more people came to bow before me, and Hell’s darkness, every day.

The Temple of Darkness itself was a huge compound of buildings, a tower and a huge underground network of crypts and caverns where I stored the infernal artifacts I had brought with me, and kept archives of many secret dark things that would remain, waiting for the day demons would return and conquer the planet. That temple was the foundation of something greater that would be built in the future – the coming age of chaos of purification that would change existence itself forever. The ornamentation of the temples was something unseen on your planet and filled all who would see it with awe and admiration.

The great cities and dark temples that we built instilled fear and reverence in the ignorant human tribes. They told tales of powerful magi and the deadly spells that they could wield to raise the dead and send them to battle against the innocent villages, many of which were already in ruins. The jungle itself, as if infected by a foul force, was spreading and consuming all traces of human civilization in its path. The rumors of a creature “from beyond” that ruled that evil empire kept the locals from attempting anything against us. I enjoyed inspiring fear in the primitive humans and made sure the darkest rumors were carefully distributed all over the continent. Still, there were many adventurous fools who tried to sneak into the Temple of Darkness and witness its secrets – those individuals were slain by the fanatical sentries who kept vigil over the dark tunnels.

* * *

  
This age of darkness lasted for long... but it came to an abrupt end. Powerful tribes from across the ocean, the Atlanteans I think, came to challenge us. There was always something strange about those humans – it was after a long time that I found out what it was. I will tell you when the time comes... For now, I will only describe them and their peculiarities. They had mastered the use of potent magic that was unknown to me. They also had powerful devices and the support of mighty battle beasts. They wanted to conquer all of the Earth and rule it. Your scientists know nothing about this? What kind of useless science do you, humans, have? I always thought you had the passion to delve in your past and study it, yet your knowledge about it is erroneous and incomplete.

  
War broke out. Terrible battles that lasted for years. Both sides lost much and the land was ravaged, torn asunder... it had to come to an end – Baphomet's will was that Hell's influence on the Earth remained secret. Still He wished to destroy those Atlanteans as they sought to rival the power of Hell itself. Thus my Lord gave me instructions. Instructions for a powerful spell of destruction... The spell's nature will remain hidden to you, human, but the result – it is obvious. Atlantis was destroyed and forever lost under the ocean – the end of a whole chapter in human history.

  
I was exhausted. Baphomet felt this and decided that we had enough knowledge of the Earth already. And the flow of vile souls was steady... So I left your world. I summoned demons to eradicate all who knew me – the tribe that I ruled. Their cities were destroyed, the Temple of Darkness buried deep under the soil. The necromancers’ bodies were locked away in a secret tomb – you passed through this tomb early in your quest to find me. We locked them in the tomb so that one day, should I return, their power could be used for Hell's purposes.

  
I returned to Hell, where Baphomet gave a week–long feast in my honor. He was pleased with what I had done and gave me rest – a long "vacation" I spent in Inferno, contemplating on what I had done... I was glad that I had the opportunity to learn much about the nature of humans – about their fears, strengths and weaknesses, abilities, and ways to be manipulated. I got excellent experience as a ruler and overlord of armies that brought me many victories and loot. My confidence in myself was stronger than ever, and my brethren looked at me with growing respect.

  
Ah, you wanted to know more about the technology – yes, when I returned to Hell, the Chasm was already complete. And now I will tell you all about what was produced inside...


	6. TECHNOLOGY

###  **CHAPTER VI: TECHNOLOGY**

  
The Chasm, as you know from your visit, was a great facility, in which Hell's mighty cybernetic warriors were brought to life. It could not have been built without utilizing the technology that we claimed from that first alien race that we conquered. What we assimilated was their advanced knowledge of cybernetics and genetics.

Over a vast abyss of toxic vapors, we built the great factory. I was there and watched as the fruits of our conquest developed into something of great value. The Chasm was a vast compound – it consumed a lot of energy and therefore needed its own energy source. Such a source was crafted by the infernal smiths of Mount Erebus – a great crystal encased in rings of arcane metals that were used for the most powerful of warlock spells. That source was installed within the deepest bowels of the facility. On the upper levels were the great chambers where ores were smelted and chemicals blended. There was a tower through which the streams of toxic waste passed so that metal and mineral residues could be extracted and used for specific constructs. The great control room was set close to the cargo bay where raw materials were received. From there the whole process of production was controlled and the designs for the various constructs entered into the memory of the infernal machines that navigated everything with cold precision.

* * *

To safely dispose of all the toxic waste that was produced, the factory was set above the Chasm, where all slime and corrosive sludge went. In time, the Chasm was filled with vile substances and became a source of powerful poisons that were used for much of the arcane research that was carried out in Hell. Yes, there was research of weapons and defensive equipment. We never fully developed the chemical weapons that we planned to create. If we had succeeded, humanity might have met a different, darker end. That slime was also good breeding ground for many types of abominations – Mancubi and Cacodemons were quite related to that venomous pit. The foul vapors that rose from it attracted many kinds of creatures that were subdued by our vile powers and used as loyal guardians of the facilities of Hell.

The Chasm became the greatest technological facility of my realm. The House of Pain was also a place of great developments as it served the dual purpose of providing food and emitting pure essence of pain into Hell’s atmosphere, strengthening the arcane powers that abounded everywhere throughout the realm. Those powers were enhanced by the presence of a wide variety of anomalous materials that had powerful magical properties. Enriched with those materials, Hell’s crust emanated raw arcane energy that had a large impact on the demonic species that inhabited the infernal planes, and allowed powerful spellcasters to arise and weave their intricate spells with ease and accuracy. The feeling of all that power flowing around me was great – I felt strong, confident and full of will to live. You, human, are not attuned to the powers of magic, you cannot feel what I can, and you can never know what it is like to have that power in your grasp and be able to bend it to your will...

Yet, one more power was utilized in the Chasm – the power of the defeated aliens’ technology and experience that we claimed after condemning them to extinction. Our army’s power grew as it had never grown before with the aid of these aliens’ wisdom.

  
Their genetic knowledge had brought those creatures to a level at which they could produce anything organic within hours. Baphomet's plan was of cybernetic warriors that would be driven by vengeful souls. So we started producing brains. High–quality brains, designed to possess great logical and analytical potential. And those brains were "empty" – no consciousness or soul to command them. Ready to use as we saw fit. And I was given the honor to choose what souls would inhabit those brains of our future warriors.

  
I spent a long time in the Soul Libraries in the Monster Condo – souls are kept there in crystal containers. All kinds of interesting specimens. What I needed was both quality and quantity so that many warriors could be produced. And I came upon the souls of the fallen ancient Atlanteans – the ones I fought against on Earth. Tortured and filled with hatred, those souls would be the perfect engine for Hell's newest creations – the Arachnotrons! Utilizing powerful armor alloys, advanced hydraulic mechanisms and top–conditioned plasma cannons, we assembled those creatures, gave them the freshly produced brains (complete with eyes) and then imbued those brains with the souls.

  
The result was brilliant – they were filled with hatred and loyal to Hell. They were able to gain elegant control over their new bodies and drive them into battle, frying enemies with bolts of burning plasma. They were perfect – you know that from the great troubles you had whenever you encountered those monstrosities. Quite often, they almost succeeded in killing you. Almost...

* * *

  
With more powerful armor and enormous components, we could create a greater version of those Arachnotrons. Still, we would not be able to produce many of those giant spiders, so it was decided that they would serve as filed commanders rather than warriors. The greatest possible legs and components were produced. To them, giant extra–speed chainguns were added; chainguns that used ammo more powerful than those ridiculous bullets you used. Enormous, super–intelligent brains were produced as well. But we hadn't decided what to imbue them with...

  
Once again, I spent much time in the libraries looking for answers. And I was pleased to discover the souls of all the members of my Council of Necromancers that served me faithfully over the centuries. Many members had lived and died during my reign and had enough souls for a considerable amount of the future... Spider Masterminds! Still loyal to me and filled with boiling hatred, those souls gladly and readily accepted their new role in Hell and gave life to the giant spiders. From then on, they were to be Hell's generals that would direct our demons in battle.

  
I had to choose a Mastermind that would rule above all the other. I chose the one that carried the soul of the necromancer who helped me with the creation of the Blur Orbs. He also recorded the discovery's history and usage as well as the theory of darkness blending in the physical world. All this knowledge was kept in the form of a great black tome that... I will not tell you where it is – you're not prepared for such knowledge... That necromancer was also the first to try out a Blur Orb – the first Orb was too powerful and the invisibility effect did not wear out. So he remained partially invisible (blurred) even after his death (they had difficulties burying him). But that made him leader of the council though... Anyway – he was chosen to be the Mastermind of the Masterminds. With this duty came the responsibility to rule over Inferno from the fortress of Dis... This is the first Mastermind you encountered, human, in Dis. And how damn lucky you were to face the Masterminds' leader and defeat him...

  
And one final implementation of the alien knowledge was the creation of the Cyberdemons. For in their nature it was the impossibility to walk upon a world other than Hell. We had tried to bring those nameless ancient demons to other worlds – but they quickly lost their strength and eventually died. Technology solved that problem. Many organs of the Cyberdemons were changed with amazing in their complexity electronic elements and cybernetic components. The new Cyberdemons could now walk other worlds and bring swift wrath to all who defy Hell's will. We also improved those demons – a strong heavy metal leg and the powerful rocket–launcher made the Cyberdemons our ultimate bringers of destruction.

The Chasm also produced metal alloys that were used in our buildings and fortifications. Sophisticated devices increased the efficiency of our activities, and we were able to expand the range of the weapons that we used. Technology was a very beneficial addition to our arsenal, and with it, Hell became even stronger and more threatening for the mortals that trembled in our shadow. I fondly remember of that time of progress, now that you led to our ruin. No chasm is large enough to contain the anger that arises within me, at the thought that everything is lost. Back to the tale of my life...

  
In later centuries, I was once again involved with the Earth and humanity. Here is what happened...


	7. RISE

###  **CHAPTER VII: RISE**

  
It was during this period that Hell's power grew immense and the infernal armies were forged into the nightmarish legions that you fought against. I am old and possess great knowledge, but it is still a mystery to me how you, single–handedly, could defeat whole armies of Hell and their masters. How could you do that – only you, with your frail human body, low–quality armor and imperfect human weapons? How? Questions that will never have answers... Even you cannot comprehend that. Even you did not believe for a second that you have gone as far as you have. On this, we might contemplate later...

It may be true that I had not assessed the strengths of humanity properly, as I, just as every other demon, had always thought of mortals with contempt and outright mockery. We could not suppose that you could actually put aside your human weaknesses and fight just like the champions of other races. The strength of our armies was in their single–mindedness and determination to achieve their goals, no matter the cost. On the other hand, I had seen humans being treacherous, or running away driven by fear, thus appearing to be an inferior force to our legions. I had also been very astonished with your passion for fighting one another – all wars on Earth were fought between humans, maybe because you had never encountered an enemy race that would unite you, the way you were united when Hell invaded. But I am getting distracted – I was to tell you about my missions and the Earth...

* * *

  
My second visit to your rather unpleasant planet was many centuries after my reign in the jungles of that southern continent. I was to test my newest skill – the skill of devouring. We, the council of the Thirteen had detected a place of potent evil somewhere on... give me a moment... somewhere between Africa (is the name correct) and Asia Minor. Some desert area. A great ancient human kingdom was there – a powerful kingdom, yet so corrupted. Its kings were vicious and ever hungry to conquer new lands and dominate over the rest of your kind. The name of that kingdom I have forgotten. Not that I care much about it.

  
Hell's attention was attracted by a complex of mines. Those were mines where precious metals and gems were gathered. You are puzzled? You don't know how such a place can be evil? Oh, trust me, human, it can be. The purposes of those mines were foul. The treasures dug from it were used for evil purposes – supporting the research of black magic, the funding of armies that would spread over the continent and slaughter millions. And other purposes which I will not disclose – there are things about human history that you’d better not know. My mission was to devour the mines – use powerful force fields to tear away those mines from the Earth and send them to Hell, where they would be used well... What? Ah, yes – what I was about to do was similar to what happened to Deimos, though a different spell was used then. And so, I manifested myself upon the Earth in the guise of a simple traveler.

  
Your civilization was starting to advance – the great age of Atlantis was long lost but you were still doing well enough for a primitive species. I found those mines, and during a dark night, I started my dark ritual. The mystic symbols in my magic circle glowed with eerie light as I cast my incantations and summoned great infernal power, shaping it into a magic field that would produce the desired effect. A bright flash of light, screams of terror from scared humans and then silence. A great canyon stood before me – a canyon that wasn't there a few seconds ago. The mines were gone, together with a large piece of land.

  
Before going back to Hell, I spent a few additional days on your planet. I was strongly tempted to visit my ancient kingdom once more, and once again feel the power of the Temple of Darkness that was buried deep under the cold earth. But I managed to restrain myself and spent the last days trying to teach some tribe of nomads in the ways of human sacrifices.

Again, I was surprised by the readiness with which your brethren were ready to slaughter each other, instead of being united against the hostile world they lived in. Many demons thought that self–destruction was innate to your race, and that could only help us destroy you. I think that our invading forces would have had more difficulties if you were able to quickly unite and respond to our assault. I leave it to you to think about that – and I do advise you to think about it if you care for your race. Digressions – I really should avoid them. So, what happened next?

  
When I returned, I had to take care of Hell's newest asset. You remember your second journey in Hell, human? Yes, the Abandoned Mines you passed through are those same mines I am telling you of. They were very useful as all those metals and gems inside were imbued with the spirit of human evil and foulness. Once in Hell, those energies emanated with great power and strengthened all who dwelled the realm. We also made good use of the workers – some fresh meat and blood make for a good feast. And the corrupt viziers that were personally overseeing the mining operations... Oh yes, they did – the king's viziers were there to make sure that all riches will be collected and brought to his Foulness’s treasury. Those fat greedy men were morphed by the infernal energies of Hell into putrid corpulent demons known as Mancubi. Yes, those same Mancubi. Their greed and gluttony were enough to spark that transformation and curse them for all eternity.

  
The evil of the viziers was great – that's why every Mancubus could eventually be reproduced. And thus we spawned many more of those blobs of grease and slime. Baphomet gave me the honor of choosing their purpose in our army. I implemented an old idea of mine – I ordered my minions to attach powerful flamethrowers to those monstrosities' limbs. Their mass was enough to keep them stable in position, and the excessive fat of their bodies would fuel the flames; thus my plan for double living flamethrowers came to fruition. You have had quite some bad time with those demons, haven't you? And you saw how masterfully the mines were integrated into the fabric of Hell?

* * *

Trophies of other worlds were a valued asset that we kept as a symbol of our triumph and domination. Many alien things were consumed by Hell – temples, machines, spaceships, tombs, and even a statue from the ruined city of a civilization that we had exterminated. Other trophies and loot was stored in treasuries and vaults – all kinds of objects could be found there – from skulls and bones, to tomes and enormous precious gems. Of course, there were also demonic archives that depicted, in detail, our victorious battles, and memorable conquests. Some of the armies that we encountered carried splendid battle standards and we had a formidable collection of those – a grim reminder of all that had fallen before our merciless advance. Still, among all the loot that we possessed, everything related to humanity was held in the highest esteem. You and your kind had always had a special role.

  
Humanity kept unknowingly increasing Hell's powers. Your souls were perfect for our purposes. Your blood was so fortifying (and delicious) that one of the other Gatekeepers built a facility specially designed to crush human bodies and collect their blood – the House of Pain. It also had magical devices that gathered the victims' death pain and spread it over Hell through the facility's tall “smokestacks.” That pain made Hell's atmosphere and aura very powerful and increased the abilities of all infernal spellcasters – including the Gatekeepers.

  
It was also at that time that we made experiments in the Unholy Cathedral – using the power of the ancient Unholy Bible, we were able to create orbs that granted invulnerability. The drawback was that this invulnerability was very short and the recipient's vision was weirdly white while it was in effect. You know those green invulnerability orbs – they helped you survive quite a few times, as well as several other artifacts that you could use – like the Soul Spheres that you consumed to heal your wounds.

  
And now, we are getting closer to the time when a living human entered Hell for the first time... No, it wasn't you – another human did it, and now I'll tell you his tale.


	8. WAR

###  **CHAPTER VIII: WAR**

  
Much time passed. Many things happened. Everything changed – I changed, Hell changed, even your world. Humanity had advanced, but learned nothing. Evil was still strong with your kind and it manifested itself in a form that no one expected. During those centuries that passed Hell worked to corrupt mankind, the infernal armies grew more powerful than ever and our knowledge was going beyond imaginable boundaries. It was at a period of upheaval that two unexpected interferences changed much in the ways of Hell.

  
On Earth, some new warlord had risen to power. I have forgotten the full name – some Adolph of a realm named The Third Reich. This Adolph human was quite obviously intent on bringing total war and conquering the world. I was tasked to look better into that, if memory serves, Hitler person and find out more as the high-ranking demons of Hell felt that there was something unusual about him. Something supernatural... So once again, I was sent to Earth.

  
When I first saw him, I immediately realized that he was not human. Even now I don't know what he was – he was not a demon and, obviously, not a human being at all. But he was in a human's form and he had come to Earth for some purpose. A member of an alien race that I could not identify. The fact that he sought battles, death, and military conquest made me visit the infernal libraries and search through the ancient tomes. I looked for descriptions of extra–dimensional entities that cherished war, battle and bloodshed. I couldn't find much. One tome told me about legends of a dark druidic deity named Shub-Niggurath, but the descriptions of its actions did not quite match what I had as a current case – that ancient creature preferred, according to the book, subtle corruption and conversion to darkness rather than great military campaigns. I also stumbled upon the name _Vadrigar_ that referred to unknown creatures that enjoyed great noisy and spectacular battles. But there was nothing to assure me that “Adolph” was a Vadrigar or an agent of those mysterious entities. I still don't know – even Baphomet could not tell for sure, though I felt he knew something but was reluctant to reveal anything.

* * *

  
It was in that savage war that a human hero arose – I remember him only as "B.J." – a strong human with a reddish hair and blue eyes. I watched him for some time – he had quite some interference with Hell. In one of his earliest missions, he was sent to eliminate a scientist – Otto von Giftmacher. I know the name exactly because after his death Otto came to Hell to become our master of alchemy and chemical weapons – the newest addition to our infernal arsenal. He was morphed into a Spider Mastermind and ruled over our chemical factory, a place filled with numerous toxic barrels. That man was sick, and that is why I liked him.

The newly morphed demon did much to expand our chemical works – the factory was enlarged at operated at full capacity. Otto had retained the knowledge he possessed in life, and used it to create deadly substances that were to be used as powerful weapons of mass extermination. The mad scientist was filled with frustration because of the failure of the evil plan to use these toxins on Earth, and was determined to give us the best he could. The facility where he worked became shabby and old in appearance – the vapors of the chemicals inflicted their effect on the building and its unique atmosphere. You noticed that the building had the feeling of an old human building – that effect was another of its primary inhabitant’s whims.

  
During my reign on Earth, I left behind many powerful artifacts. One of them was the Spear of Destiny – a weapon that was enchanted in a way that bestowed great power unto any who wielded it, giving them the power to create unique Former Humans that are much more powerful and intelligent than even Former Commandos. As far as I know, some mad Third Reich scientist used the Spear's power to create such zombies (or “mutants” as he called them). The one known as "B.J." was charged with retrieving the Spear from a stronghold where it was kept. And he succeeded. Then happened something that no one expected – the whimsical nature of the Spear's enchantments manifested itself by instantly teleporting that human, together with the room he was in, straight into the sealed lower catacombs of Hell – the domain of the Angel of Death and his army of twisted dark souls. I felt that and I knew that no mortal could enter the lower catacombs or Hell as a whole. I did not pay much attention as I expected the Angel of Death to quickly add the human's mangled corpse to his considerable collection.

  
But somehow, the human succeeded – he fought against the demon and his spectral army and defeated them. The magical storm that erupted sent him back to earth and Hell was left stunned with surprise. Lord Baphomet was furious – many lesser demons he executed that day. Such an offence it was for him (I still don't know what was so special about the Angel of Death – he never left his sealed sanctuary). Still it was us, the Gatekeepers, that managed to appease our master by preparing a special burial chamber in the upper catacombs. From there, the Angel of Death's remains would emit raw power and strengthen Hell's magical defenses.

  
That B.J. human also managed to slay that disturbingly mad scientist – Doctor Schabbs. He actually did well – Schabbs's soul (not surprisingly) came to Hell too and he worked a lot to improve Former Humans. Even without the Spear of Destiny in his possession, he was able to design the vicious Former Commandos – some of your toughest adversaries you encountered on your little crusade, marine. He also invented a substance that heals demons well – a mixture of blood and toxic slime. He also created some potions that make demons frenzied and improve their combat skills. His soul mysteriously disappeared after you killed Baphomet and I don't know where he is – but I have a feeling that he seeks vengeance to mankind and he will stop at nothing to achieve this goal.

* * *

  
As your messy human war was nearing its end that B.J. guy managed to sneak into Hitler's bunker and slay him. He didn't feel that there was an invisible presence in the room – I was there, watching their final battle. And when Adolph’s soul left his crushed body, I clearly saw that it was not human, but I couldn't look at it better, for it immediately used unknown magic to warp itself into another dimension and escape the underground chamber. I tried to follow it but I failed... This seems to be a mystery I will never unravel.

  
You see – that human was a great hero, just like you. For some time I even thought that there was some relation between you. Maybe there really is one... After the warlord was slain, that war as brought to an end, and your race started recovering its shattered world, feeling like they had just awakened from a dream.

  
Things settled. Many more years passed – you humans advanced, went to your moon and were preparing to go to Mars. It was around that time that your space exploration was divided amongst a few very powerful human corporations that were engaged in a fierce war of competition – a war that would be won by the first one to set up a colony on Mars. One of those competitors was the Union Aerospace Corporation...


	9. ASCENT

###  **CHAPTER IX: ASCENT**

  
To my surprise, you humans seemed to be advancing pretty well with your technology. The first colony on the Moon was an impressive achievement for a species that could hardly stop fighting among each other. Don't look at me like that – you know it to be true! The major corporations were competing for space dominance. You already know that. But what you and the rest of humanity did not know was the way they carried out their struggles: espionage, sabotage, nightly incursions, kidnappings and assassination... At that time, I was starting to think that you humans were not so different from demons, in terms of bloodlust and cruelty.

  
The UAC seemed to be the most eager of these corporations. They were the first to build a space station between the Earth and Mars – about halfway between them. You have heard of that station – I have seen it... No, I haven't been there – I possess far superior magical means of observation (which did not help me beat you!) that enabled me to have a look at that floating piece of metal. The UAC were really excited and could feel their determination (as I felt the greed of their shareholders). The UAC landed on Mars together with another corporation's crew – those two crews were the first to set foot upon Mars. A few weeks later, most of the other corporations sent their crews too, and successfully landed on Mars. Some others simply quit.

It was amusing to watch your race celebrating the reaching of Mars and the proof of “humanity’s undying spirit and inspiration.” It was pathetic. It only made me think that your overconfidence would be the most powerful weapon that Hell could use against you. Confidence is an asset only when it is moderate and in proportion with your true abilities. Do not frown – you and your race need to learn a few things for the sake of your success and survival. The UAC won the space contest, and had the right to feel superior. They landed on that small planet and left a memorial plaque there.

  
Since then, the contest was different – the one who could first build a large operating colony on Mars, in those harsh conditions and so far away from Earth would claim everything! But Mars is far away and resources were sparse. The corporations tried to invent technologies that would facilitate profit–making and enable them to achieve the so desired colony...

* * *

  
All these activities grasped Baphomet's attention and He summoned us, the Thirteen, to a council. We gathered in his throne hall and waited in silence. He then spoke to us and initiated our discussion of a subject that had been bothering His mind for a long time – the conquest of Earth. It was apparent that it was of great importance.

  
If we could claim it, Earth would become our greatest asset ever. Charged with mystical energies that humans could never understand and possessing unique traits, the Earth was to be our ultimate battlefield. The humans, who somehow knew of Hell's existence and constantly preached about its foulness, would fall before our mighty hordes and fuel the infernal war machine. The problem was that because of Earth powerful energy fields, the opening of a Great Portal was very hard. Small portals could be opened, but for a large one we would need to perform a sophisticated ritual. And that ritual had to be performed on a piece of Earth's universe that has been brought to Hell very recently.

  
The discussion was starting to transform into a bitter argument as we tried to impose our ideas. Baphomet just listened to us with a twisted smile. He then laid out His plan and we all realized how simple and efficient it was. The plan was to wait for you to establish your colonies, invade them and establish our first outpost in your Universe. We would then go on with the preparations for the ritual and when it was finished – the demonic hordes would invade the Earth and put an end to humanity.

  
A few years later, the UAC made a discovery that set the events in motion. They invented the technology to transform humanity's toxic waste into fuel or (somewhat drinkable) water. Being a monopolist in the field, they were able to swiftly crush all competition. Their way to Mars was open. And a few more years later the first colony on Mars was established. There, UAC’s facilities were safe from the prying eyes of spies, or the destructive actions of saboteurs, and the production that brought unprecedented profits began. The colony became more important than even UAC’s headquarters on Earth.

  
It quickly grew in size and population. The original living quarters were expanded with production facilities where the new technology was used to produce the company's enormous profits. A whole city appeared on the surface of Mars, towers rose above it, and tunnels went deep underground. That city had its own power plant, and air purification facility. Its number of inhabitants grew with every new transport that brought more workers and scientists. Marines were also stationed there, keeping order and security. Soon, the new city of Mars became self–sustaining and autonomous. The colony was successful and that drove them to try to establish one on the moons of Mars...

  
They decided to create a special research complex on Deimos – the buildings they created were crude but still provided for a base where they built a refinery that would transform toxic waste into drinking water. They also built some advanced high–tech buildings where they were to conduct experiments that were unannounced at that time... Everything seemed perfect and the UAC were pleased with their achievements.

* * *

  
Quite a few years later, they built a new colony on Phobos. It was brand new, with the latest technological advancements from Earth and a much better design that made the Deimos base look old and shabby. There they established the greatest child of their technology – the Toxin Refinery that could chemically transform toxic sludge into high–quality fuel that was sought by all other companies for their spaceships. There they built another secret–experiments building that was newer and with a strange improved design. I was already starting to suspect that the humans were about to experiment with something dangerous. Or very intriguing.

  
The strange buildings on both moons were referred to as "anomalies." Soon I was about to find out what they were doing there.

  
This is a unique feeling, I can never mistake to for another. And I felt it strongly – the humans were opening dimensional gates. The surprise that appeared among the Thirteen was great. But it was only a matter of time before we could realize that the long sought invasion opportunity may have just presented itself. We knew that together we could divert the gates' flows and set them to destinations of our desire. So we started attempting to take control of the humans' gates and bring one of their entrance points in Hell.

  
Our efforts made the gates unstable and the humans that were sent through them returned back insane. Some of them exploded on exiting the gate and gave the scientists a shower of blood and flesh. We feared that the gates' instability would make the scientists suspect that someone was interfering with them. We had overestimated them. These scientists did not believe in Hell and they could not imagine that our attempts to control their gates were the cause of the accidents and the instability.

Some time was needed for the Thirteen to attune to the configurations of those primitive Gates, but we were soon ready. We were amused to watch your scientists – between the attempts to understand the reason, and the denial of the existence of accidents that troubled the bureaucrats. Special security measures were taken, and the relatives of the marines that perished in the experiments were warned to remain silent and keep the dark events of Mars secret – at least those relatives who were told that something happened. The strange accidents and the psychoses that gripped the colony personnel that were influenced by the Hellish emanations of the gates, awakened strong fear within all humans involved in that project.

  
They considered abandoning this project but their curiosity was just too great. They went on, and we went on, feeling that we needed just a little more time to achieve our goal. The hordes of Hell were mobilizing and they all felt that the invasion was imminent...


	10. INVASION

###  **CHAPTER X: INVASION**

  
I can still remember the excitement of that moment. We were about to invade one of the most special worlds we had ever encountered. Hmm, you do not seem that enthusiastic about it, do you? It was you who had to take care... The preparations were going perfectly – we had prepared an army of our finest demons that were to assault the bases at Phobos and Deimos. A perfect plan and... What is it again? Why there were fewer types of demons in the initial invasion? We decided to send a narrower selection of demonic species – the others were preparing for the greater attack upon Earth that was to follow that initial minor invasion.

  
The invasion plan was not simple at all – it all had to begin a few weeks before the actual breach. That was another special assignment for me. At first, Baphomet would not tell me what the purpose of my task was. But I soon realized it all too clearly. Baphomet called upon me and gave me orders of a mission that back then seemed as a digression that could not be understood.

  
There are many ancient buildings in Hell that we call "ethereal". They are as real as the rest, but they have the ability to become invisible, almost insubstantial, and an experienced Gatekeeper could easily teleport such buildings all over Hell... or to other worlds, as a mere exertion of willpower. You have seen one such ethereal place – the Fortress of Mystery. And it was my mission to secretly transport the Fortress to the moon of Deimos. Something that no Gatekeeper had done before. But I did. And no one in the Deimos base noticed anything. Not that there was anything to notice – just some momentary flashes of light and a tall tower that appeared for a second before becoming completely invisible again.

  
I was there – in the Fortress's command chamber and I watched. All my minions had been ordered to be perfectly quiet. No noises, no movement – we couldn't risk disturbing the invisibility. I was once again in your Universe, though not on Earth, but on Deimos. A complete demonic fortress stood near the base and none of the humans even suspected about it. You were on Mars at that time – not realizing that I was so close – just some... (I don't know how many) miles above your head. And I spent a week there, slowly preparing for my special task. And it was indeed important.

  
Baphomet needed a piece of your own Universe within Hell so that his plans of opening numerous giant Gates on Earth could be fulfilled. Deimos was chosen to be that piece – for its older UAC base offered a lesser challenge to our hordes. The Fortress of Mystery, Hell's most powerful ethereal edifice was to be the anchor point of the greatest teleportation spell ever attempted in Hell. The spell was to be cast by two demons. One was Baphomet himself. The other was me. And my ritual circle was already prepared, as was Baphomet's – on a special platform in front of him. Ironic... you used that same rising platform to slay him.

* * *

  
The time came.

  
I felt that the humans were about to open a gate for their experiments and the other twelve Gatekeepers were ready to take control over it. My personal escort of Barons of Hell and Cacodemons was to attack the buildings close to the Fortress and then return to its dungeons to await further orders. I was ready to cast the spell.

  
The minutes passed slowly. My great patience was heavily tested in these moments... And then I felt that a gate was opened – the humans had just sealed their doom. Another feeling came shortly after that – the Gate was now under Hell's control and the humans' computer systems had gone berserk. I could feel the humans' initial panic. Then came the demonic hordes...

  
Barons of Hell, Demons, Cacodemons and Imps poured out of the gates and slaughtered the shocked scientists and marines in a matter of seconds. They spread out of the Anomaly that was already overrun, and attacked the other buildings. A few scattered shots indicated the marines' pathetic efforts to defend themselves, but soon they were all dead – torn into pieces by Hell's ravenous minions. The others, still crying with terror and praying for mercy, were condemned to undeath.

  
In less than five minutes, the whole compound was nearly overrun. It was at that moment that I felt Baphomet's call and I turned my attention towards the highly volatile spell. Flashes of lightning and primal energy covered Deimos's sky as a powerful sphere of energy was about to enclose it. A loud scream–like noise and powerful hissing filled the air and drowned out all other sounds. A powerful tremor shook the ground... and seconds after that I felt that I was in Hell once again. Deimos was hovering above Inferno. Armies of Lost Souls immediately descended upon it and extinguished all opposition that was still trying to resist the onslaught. Deimos was under our control.

  
I went out of the Fortress of Mystery and was surprised to meet the Cyberdemons' Overlord. He told me what Baphomet's orders were – the Master of the Spider Masterminds was put in command of the Mars invasion since Baphomet was busy preparing for the assault on Earth. In his fortress of Dis, the great Spider was about to command the assault on Phobos and keep watch over Deimos. And he also had to plan an attack on Mars itself. Yes, we were planning to wipe out the colony on Mars as well but the death of the Spider sealed the failure of that plan. The Mastermind was also given full power over Inferno and all incursions outside the Earth – he claimed that he might also consider an attack on your Moon colonies as well.

  
The Cyberdemon Overlord told me about his mission – he was to oversee the construction of a demonic temple such as Hell had never seen. That temple was to be named the Tower of Babel and it was to be the focus of the powerful ritual that would open the way to Earth. I agreed that the plan was, indeed, perfect, and I went to Dis to help the Spider direct the war efforts. He accepted me in his sanctum and I (as if I knew what was going to happen) told him to increase the guard within his citadel as two Cacodemons and a Baron of Hell were not sufficient sentries. But he would not listen – he had sent all troops either to Deimos or to the main strike force that would soon march upon Earth. Inferno was left with fewer defenders than ever and that bothered me greatly.

* * *

  
I decided that my assigned troops could remain in the Fortress of Mystery, to be used when called upon, and went to the Monster Condo. I was, for unknown reasons, nervous and I wanted to spend some time among the dark tomes so that I could compose myself. I had bad expectations even though the invasion went exactly as my Master and I wanted it to proceed. It was the importance of the undertaking that made me feel uneasy – just like in ages past when I was tutored by Baphomet Himself.

  
During that time, the Spider used some of his arcane powers and took control over the humans' computers on Phobos. A gate was opened and a strike force, consisting only of imps and demons, invaded Phobos, led by two Barons of Hell, who were to rule over the overrun base. Resistance was quickly crushed and a fair amount of survivors were zombified. Now we had Deimos in Hell and an outpost in your Universe – Phobos. But an outpost should not be as poorly defended as Phobos was.

  
To our regret, before we could teleport Deimos, someone, somehow had managed to send a distress call to Mars. And they knew that we had invaded. When your commanders lost contact with Phobos too, they decided that some action had to be taken. The UAC administration on Earth was alerted – their response was quick – immediate retaliation was demanded. A small shuttle was launched towards Phobos. The shuttle carried a detachment of Space Marines. One of those marines was YOU...


	11. INFILTRATION

###  **CHAPTER XI: INFILTRATION**

Mixed feelings – this is what I had in my head. On one hand, I was sure that your squad of marines would soon meet their horrible demise. On the other hand, I was a little worried because of the Phobos base's low level of infestation – primarily weaker demons that just had to keep watch over our relatively unimportant outpost in your solar system. And, fateful as it seems, I was both right and wrong.

I don't know whether you were just lucky. I don't know if some unknown deity protected you. Yet somehow, you survived. You were left to guard the landing pod – something I could not have predicted. I had warned the Barons of Hell of the marines' arrival and they had set up a nice ambush for them. You look so angry... they were your friends, were they not? I can tell that they resisted for long and managed to kill quite a few demons – so I suppose that they fought... valiantly. The fight was excessively violent, even if when through my observation orb. But eventually, they all fell.

I assume that you heard what happened through your primitive communication device. And you decided to try and complete the mission on your own? You had already entered the base area when I found out traces of human presence at the landing pod. Thinking that someone was there, I warned the Barons of Hell once again. They both left the Phobos Anomaly and went to the pod – only a few minutes after you left. In their anger, they destroyed it with bolts of infernal plasma. And for the first time I got a bit calmer as I saw that the marines' threat was dealt with. I didn't even suppose that you were out there, and my true worries were merely beginning.

* * *

There were signs of trouble in the hangar. I ignored them at first, thinking that some of the demons might have messed up with the complex machinery and had been killed or caused a fire. A few minutes later, the hangar's main doors opened and the distress beacon was activated. I immediately realized what had happened – someone must have survived the ambush or, probably, entered the base later. And that guy was killing demonic troops in the hangar, and was ready to head towards the nuclear plant and attempt to reactivate it. I did the best I could – I organized some minor ambushes at the entrance point of every building of the base. But somehow, you survived again. You kept fighting efficiently, despite all traps that the Barons of Hell and I tried to prepare for you.

You went on to reactivate the toxin refinery and even found that sealed service tunnel that led to the military base. I hoped to corner you there by attracting you with heavy weapons to a red pentagram and then teleporting in a squad of demons to overwhelm you. But this failed too – you managed to slay Hell's troops in the base and got those heavy weapons. You were becoming dangerous. After you took control over the Command Control and the Phobos Lab, I gave the Barons of Hell orders to wait for you in the Anomaly, should you reach it. They were to attack you unexpectedly and take care of you for good. I had suspicions that you might be able to escape, so I placed a special ambush at a very _special_ place...

When you reached the Anomaly, I became really worried and contacted the Great Spider at Dis. He was angry to hear the news and gave me permission to use the reserve troops I had left in the Fortress of Mystery. If you were to reach Deimos, my Cacodemons and Barons of Hell would await you on the other side and destroy you immediately while you are still stunned with surprise. It was a few minutes later that the barons of Hell were slain by you. The anomaly was under your control and I initially expected that you wouldn't dare use the gate and would wait for help... while I summon some Cyberdemons to take care of you. But you recklessly entered the Gate without even wondering where it would lead you.

My special ambush was right there – inside the void between the worlds. You were really surprised when you were suddenly shrouded in darkness and demons came to you from all sides. But still you managed to slip away! HOW? The Void is highly volatile and such things happen but why did it have to be that day? You slipped through a wormhole in the Void moments before you were dead. And you continued your journey to Deimos. I smiled as I realized that there were Cacodemons and Barons of Hell waiting for you at the entrance. I adjusted the observation orb and prepared to enjoy your death.

There was no one at the entrance.

* * *

Growling with anger, I set the orb to peer inside the Fortress of Mystery. To my great frustration, I found out that somehow a feud had erupted between the Cacodemons and the Barons of Hell – a feud that ended with a fight and a terrible massacre in which many Cacodemons were killed. Still they managed to wound two barons and dragged them off to the adjacent room of the dungeon. It was there that the cacodemons locked themselves and tortured the two Barons to death. They would now refuse to leave their rooms – so those troops were lost for me. Nothing stood between you and Deimos. I had to warn the Cyberdemon Overlord. He appeared to be preoccupied with the construction of the Tower of Babel and told me that he would accelerate the construction and leave some demons hiding among the crates in the containment area.

He promised me that you would never survive the journey through that storage.

But I somehow did not fully believe him – so I went down to Inferno to prepare the defenses there, just in case you went down to Hell instead of exploring the Deimos base. I warned the demons in Pandemonium and the Unholy Cathedral to be ready for anything, as a mortal had entered Hell. Then I hurried to the other side of the continent looking for detachments of demonic warriors who were free to come with me for a special mission. Alas – every single demon in Hell was already assigned to the upcoming assault on Earth. They were waiting for the moment when the Ritual would finally open enormous Gates to Earth, and the children of darkness would flow out and put an end to humanity...

I hoped you would try to go back to Phobos and report your status to your leaders. But unfortunately, you noticed the construction site of the Tower of Babel from the height where you stood after going through the Deimos Anomaly. I suppose you recognized its demonic nature immediately and decided that it would offer you the chance to fight against the invaders that had plunged the UAC colonies into terror. Your courage deserves admiration – that is for certain.

Your fear was dampened by your determination – you seemed to be eager to find out what was going on at that construction site. I have always thought that you, humans, always try to preserve your lives and for that reason avoid risks and dangerous places. Completely defying those principles, you decided to risk going through the whole base and explore the Tower's site. I think that anyone else of your marine comrades would have decided to run away.

Back then, I was sure that the Cyberdemon Overlord would quickly show you the true meaning of _pain_ and this strange crisis would be over. Without the distraction that you created, Hell’s attention could turn towards the inevitable defeat of humanity. But one thought couldn't give me peace – you had survived Phobos. You had gone through the Gate. You had infiltrated Hell itself...


	12. GATEWAY

###  **CHAPTER XII: GATEWAY**

I could not allow your infiltration to stop our plans. I made sure to put all kinds of obstacles in your way. I tampered with the Deimos base’s main computer and blocked the passageways in such a way that you would have to pass through all base buildings before reaching the Tower’s construction site. Indeed, I succeeded in slowing you down. As I felt that demons were dying throughout the base, I knew that you, even though it seemed impossible, advanced through its demon-infested halls and came closer to your goal.

The containment area was supposed to stop you. Many demons were hiding among the crates, waiting for you to show up, so that they could feast on your flesh. Your training must have been very good – your skills of sneaking around the storage crates and killing my minions quickly, really impressed me. Concerned with blocking the buildings’ exits, I had put fewer demons at special areas where special equipment was stored. You found some of those high–tech control rooms, whose switches opened hidden stashes that provided you with weapons. Too late to correct that mistake, I devised some other plan – to lure you into the Fortress of Mystery in hope that my enraged minions there would put an end to you. Then I had to go somewhere else.

* * *

The Tower of Babel’s constructions was going well – the base was done and now the tower itself was to be built. The base consisted of a great temple of Baphomet with six altars and a giant sacrificial pit. The floors of the tower were to be unholy reliquaries that would hold the cursed remains of Arch Viles – humans sent to Hell for their terrible blasphemous deeds. The purpose of the temple and the reliquaries was to channel pure unholy power when the Cyberdemon Overlord began the ritual. He had to be alone with only a few lost souls to assist him at that time. So I decided to seek out Lord Baphomet and inform him about the crisis – the crisis that concerned once specifically tough and stubborn space marine. That was you.

Baphomet was furious. The whole citadel trembled as he shouted in his anger. He told me to organize the troops for the assault on Earth and to coordinate their efforts to quickly discover ancient demonic sites that were left on the Earth by other Gatekeepers. The Temple of Darkness was not to be used in the war, to my great disappointment. I also had to choose a Gate that would have the central role in the invasion. Many Gates would be opened, but after the first day only one would be left open, in order to prevent the highly unlikely human retaliation into Hell. I had already thought about that and I had designed a scheme for a city, a central neighborhood of which would be transformed into Hell’s primary outpost on Earth. It would also be not particularly special in appearance so that you humans would be fooled... but who would have supposed that the city I had chosen was your own hometown. Coincidence? A sign of fate? Or yet another manifestation of the illogical nature of the whole Universe.

Half an hour later I saw the mighty armies of Hell, waiting on the vast Plains of Sorrow. The other Gatekeepers had already given the demons enough black containers – special magical urns that contained a specific amount of spell charges that allowed slain humans to be raised as Former Humans. We would thus quickly amass a great army of undead. I moved along and instructed the warlords. They had to look for secret demonic sites all over the Earth and unravel them in order to utilize the powers and artifacts that were hidden therein. A great priority was the raising of revenants as soon as possible – so I instructed some Hell Knights to quickly move towards a special place in the Rocky Mountains (I still remember that name) where a small demonic stash was hidden. Therein was stored a black tome that contained the lore of raising revenants – the skeletal warriors who would return from the dead to serve us once again.

I remembered of a place near the city that was to be our main base – the temple of Perfect Hatred that contained powerful demonic artifacts, black containers, healing potions, spiritual armor and even a Cyberdemon in stasis! The temple was well–hidden in a natural fissure close to some caverns and a lake of lava. I also recommended the discovery of an ancient Baphomet chapel, built by some of His corrupted human followers in ages past. That temple housed dark relics that would grant our troops greater power. I also had to think of the troops’ nourishment and healing, as we would be far away from the House of Pain.

Food – it is everyone’s necessity... I quickly reasoned that we could transform some of your own factories into facilities that would crush human bodies and extract their blood. As for healing, every waste–treatment facility would do perfect job after being transformed to mix human blood and toxic waste (in precise proportions) and create a vile mixture that would heal us. I also had plans for the usage of a powerful demonic drug, but Baphomet decided that we would not need it for now, as the facility construction would have taken too long. I knew that well, so I agreed and instead decided to appoint some Arch Viles in Hell who had to go the area known as Blood Falls and work on a special task I gave them...

You had, in the meantime, entered the Fortress of Mystery after making that amazing discovery that there was actually an invisible building. But the fact that the Barons and the Cacodemons were separated and unwilling to cooperate was the failure of the plan – you managed to slay both groups but you were seriously injured. I hoped that the blood loss would finish you off but you had already gathered sufficient knowledge of Hell and managed to use a Soul Sphere to heal yourself. Enraged, I warped into the Tower of Babel and was pleased to find out that it was complete. Knowing that you were very close, I gave the order for the ritual to begin and went back to the Plains of Sorrow where the troops were awaiting. But I knew that an observation orb would not interrupt the spell, so I watched carefully.

* * *

The Cyberdemon Overlord stood in the sanctuary’s center, between the four sacrificed Barons of Hell, and chanted ancient spells, known only to the infernal inhabitants of the Obsidian Canyons. As the Lost Souls began their ghostly singing, I felt tremendous power moving around the Tower in the form of shining clouds of arcane energy. Tremendous bolts of lightning shattered the skies and a halo of sparkling gas crowned the Tower’s roof. The incantations were intensifying and slight tremors shook the whole Tower. Unnatural light was shining from all windows of the edifice. The Cyberdemon reached the climax of the spell, at which he screamed with full force and his body was barely enduring the swirling energies that threatened to tear it into pieces.

Then he went silent.

Seconds after that, a powerful crash was heard and a roaring stream of energy poured out of the Tower and hit Hell’s skies. I felt that tremendous energies permeated every corner of Hell and the very fabric of reality was twitching and pulsating in agony. A few seconds later, it became silent. No movement, not even wind disturbed the scene. Then a loud crack was heard and enormous Gates opened before us. Many Gates – big enough for whole armies to pass through. And beyond them, we beheld the green fields of the Earth and its cities – ripe for destruction. We had succeeded. The invasion was about to begin.

You did not notice at all what happened. You entered the Tower after it was all over. The Cyberdemon decided to wait for you on the building’s roof and take care of you personally. I was busy commanding the troops in battle and I did not watch what happened on that roof. But I felt it. It must have been quite a fight you had up there. Your anguish and exhaustion could be felt. As could be felt your terror at the sight of that, which awaited you there. But soon afterwards, I felt a terrible eruption of anguish which told me that the Cyberdemon Overlord had fallen. I was so surprised that I hastily summoned the other twelve and argued with them for a while. As before, they tended to underestimate you.

They told me that they had set up a levitation device that would allow you to descend into Inferno. Certain that you would decide to descend into Hell itself, they assured me that once you went down to Inferno, you would never survive. The demons there and the Master Spider would be your doom. They told me that Inferno’s fortifications had been strengthened so there was no chance for you to escape to the other side of the continent, where Baphomet’s citadel was. I agreed and decided to let you go into Inferno. I secretly hoped that this time we would succeed.

At the same time, the demonic armies marched across the Earth and razed the unsuspecting sleeping cities. Greatly surprised at first, the humans soon started making attempts to retaliate, though most of those attempts were complete failures. Baphomet knew that you would all try to escape through your star port and he gave me a special mission regarding it. Something about a great force field...


	13. CONQUEST

###  **CHAPTER XIII: CONQUEST**

With all due respect to my Master, Lord Baphomet often tended to overestimate my abilities. The number of troops he gave me for my mission was too small and I had to use some of my vital energy to summon a few more. Almost all of Hell’s minions were engaged in the invasion and I could only muster a few squads of Hell Knights that would still make little difference. My target was your planet’s _only_ spaceport. It was too easy to assume that it was your weak spot – providing a great opportunity for us. My Lord instructed me to block the spaceport with a powerful force field that was interwoven with a potent warlock fiery spell that would incinerate any who would attempt to cross that barrier. And I knew about humans, I was sure there would be such attempts.

The marines that guarded the compound still knew nothing of the invasion. Not sure whether this was strategically helpful or promising a boring battle, I opened a Gate in a small valley nearby and my minions silently went through. Then I used an observation orb to look over the compound ahead. Luckily, the security measures were not particularly good as the marines definitely did not expect to be attacked by demons in the middle of the night. I surveyed the entry points... I chose a cargo loading bay and a duct that supported fueling pipes as the starting points of our incursion. The troops only awaited my signal.

* * *

I was... well... nervous. I kept readjusting my observation orb with unease and I saw that the marines headed towards the cafeteria, leaving some vital spots unprotected. A good opportunity I could not afford to miss. I gave the awaited signal and the demons charged into the complex as quietly as possible. One big group had to go to the recreation area and take care of the marines. The others had to penetrate vital zones and disable essential systems so that the star port was ready for the deployment of demonic technology. I myself would go to the chosen spot – some old ruins in the very heart of the compound and await the Barons of Hell.

Screams and shots echoed through the star port. Marine patrols had noticed us and were shooting in panic. In the cafeteria, there was a massive slaughter that drastically reduced the humans’ ranks. I opened one of my black containers and the dead rose as Former Humans. With this rotting addition, it was only a matter of time before the complex was overrun. Someone had managed to press an alarm button and now everybody knew that we had come... way too late, though. The outer facilities were already under our control and Former Humans had risen to guard them. The Barons of Hell had infested the computer network with demonic powers that twisted and turned the security systems against any marines that were trapped within. Afterwards they headed towards the “Circle of Destruction” as I had named the place.

Meanwhile, the city near the star port was already under attack. Demonic armies marched across the vast fields and laid siege to the city’s defenders that had already been alerted by the battle in the spaceport. The marines were pretty good at setting up trenches and artillery, and the demonic armies found themselves facing a worthy opponent that rained fiery death from distance – something that we could do well too. The Spider Mastermind that led that group ordered the Cyberdemons to step ahead and unleash a volley of missiles upon the unfortunate defenders. I felt the explosions and the specific energy shift that marked the sudden simultaneous death of many human beings. The defensive lines had fallen and the hordes charged into the awakening city...

Having gained full control over the spaceport, I ordered my minions to exterminate the last survivors and store all Formers who were not necessary at the moment in the depot at the refueling base. The Barons of Hell had come, bringing the machinery I had requested. I ordered that the constructions work be hurried, yet all elements be assembled accurately. I definitely did not want an explosion! I commanded that Cacodemons, Arachnotrons and an Arch Vile be stationed in the area and guard it with their lives. The loud clank of the assembly work told me that the operation was going as I planned. Humanity would be trapped efficiently and have enough time to contemplate on the building of only one star port for the whole planet... before being exterminated.

* * *

Yes, you don’t need to ask – your curiosity is like an aura around you. At that same time you had already descended into the Hell Keep and, to my regret, you had managed to pass through it and overcome the demonic guards. To top it all, you had found some weapons, though you were never able to access the Keep’s demonic armories. The observation orb allowed me to see you marching towards the Slough of Despair – too confident for a man who was in Hell itself. I decided that the fortress of Pandemonium will be the last stop of your life and I checked my workers. They were ready – the machines and magical components were set as I demanded.

My workers had constructed the chamber of the Switch exactly as I had designed it – with walls of human bones and flesh. I stepped forth and pulled the great lever. A powerful vibration made the whole area tremble. Machines started up as magical orbs sparked into life and shone with inner light. A strong crackling sound was heard, and a dark cloud began to form above the star port. My mission was done and I opened a Gate to the town where my outpost was supposed to be. The Gateway to Hell was already opened there and I had to take care of its fortifications. As I walked into the portal, I looked back – a dome of fire and energy had closed over the star port – the force field was fully operational. The Invasion could begin with full force!

* * *

I really hate bad news. And my look must have been really evil because the Hell Knight who reported that you had entered the House of Pain cowered when he saw me. I needed every single demon, so I told him directly that I would not kill him, so he went away relieved. I was really angry – you were becoming a serious obstacle and I could not leave things like that. I contacted the Master Spider and warned him. I implied that as my former servant he had to listen to me – I wanted him to send all troops from Mt. Erebus down into the plains to hunt you down. He wouldn’t heed my warnings – he said that they were busy replenishing our warriors with healing potions and soul spheres and the work could not be halted...

The Spider that led the invasion of the city had finished his jobs – the city was in flames and its citizens now roamed the streets as Formers. The Portal was set in an old central neighborhood, within a reinforced edifice. I ordered the space between the buildings, some old desolate park, to be filled with corrosive acid and blood for better protection. The Spider was then sent to one of the buildings with a Cyberdemon as a personal bodyguard. Another Spider, who took care of the pathetic military bases in the region, made his headquarters in the hills nearby. Industrial facilities around the city were transformed for our needs.

I insisted that one of the factories be used for crushing corpses so that we could have an easy supply of nourishment. I also arranged for the healing facility where toxic slime was mixed with blood. Pleased with what I had done, I sent warnings to the Barons of Hell who commanded the Unholy Cathedral and the stronghold at Mt. Erebus. For the latter, I advised him to lure you to the Warrens – the resting place of the souls of the insane. There you would be confused by its close resemblance of the Hell Keep and ultimately fall prey to the Cyberdemon there.

As battles raged across the face of your planet, I watched your efforts and I must admit – you fought well and really tried to resist us, no matter how foolhardy it seemed. In my orb, I saw an experimental UAC facility where they planned to train elite troops – the Phobos troops that look like marines but were clad in orange. Those elite troops were still in the beginning of their training and they were quickly slaughtered.

* * *

A band of marines had already tried to penetrate the star port force field – their charred remains now remained as a dire warning for any other fools that would try to be heroes. The battles that raged in Earth’s major cities had intensified as Hell’s hordes marched victoriously against a panicked humanity. Everyone wanted to escape into space but the force field precluded any such attempts. The earth itself shook as human and demonic armies clashed. War had broken out everywhere. Gripped by despair, mankind tried to somehow push the hideous invaders back and preserve their world. I don’t blame them – I recognize their courage to stand against us. This made defeating them even sweeter. None of the wars I fought before made me feel so good, or gave me the opportunity to fully unleash my power. I was... happy.

I smiled – humanity would soon be no more and Hell will become more powerful than ever before. I deserved some rest and I started thinking about a visit to the Obsidian Canyons... after killing you in person, of course. My good mood was very soon spoiled – Baphomet gave me orders to personally observe our assault in the continent known as Africa. A few minutes later, I was informed that the Unholy Cathedral had fallen and you had infiltrated Mt. Erebus...


	14. DISASTER

###  **CHAPTER XIV: DISASTER**

Sometimes I am quite happy I don’t have a body as flawed and frail as yours, marine. Because if I had... my nervous system would have collapsed under the tension I endured, as I tried to focus on my duties while also keeping you under surveillance, worried about your devastating actions. I was very annoyed as it turned out that the African situation was quickly put under control and the threat had been overestimated. I immediately returned to my command post in the town that turned out to be your home...

Adjusting the observation orb never felt that unpleasant as I almost felt what I was about to see – the stronghold of Mt. Erebus in ruins, demon corpses scattered everywhere. There weren’t many defenders anyway – the invasion of Earth had engaged all our resources as never before. I had serious doubts that the Warrens could stop you. The Master Spider was my last hope.

Meanwhile, there was trouble near the town – two mechanized divisions of marines had managed to evade the initial purge and now moved with their tanks towards our battle lines. I made a quick check – the Barons were at the city’s other side, engaged in the assault of some bunkers that still resisted us and only some Hell Knights were available. Not enough to deflect a mechanized strike force... It was shameful for me to allow human incursions and I thought that it should be the most severe measures that I would take against them.

It was in that moment that I decided to unleash some of Hell’s creations that had not taken a major part in the battle by now. Slowly and clumsily, the Mancubi answered my call and moved towards the edge of town. These corrupted and slimy gluttons had the strength to take care of the infantry while the Hell Knights took out your tanks.

The marines were very unpleasantly surprised when great balls of flaming human grease exploded among them. The Mancubi performed superbly, even though their aim was poor and they set quite a few buildings on fire. The marine group was decimated quickly and with very minor losses that made me think of ways of improving Mancubi’s speed and armor.

At the same time, the bunkers on the other side had managed to prepare their artillery. And this time I had no Cyberdemons to destroy them with. But I did have a cadre of my personal creations from ages past... The marines were surprised when they saw a whole army of what looked like brains set on spider–like mechanical legs. Their astonishment grew into shock when the Arachnotrons unleashed a destructive wave of plasma upon their positions...

The marines tried to escape using some primitive–looking vehicles I was not familiar with. These vehicles very fast and they would have escaped. One of the patrols that I had sent to secure the perimeter returned. The patrol consisted of two Arch Viles who were perfectly sufficient to decimate the last marine survivors from a distance. The threat was finally eliminated.

* * *

Having secured my outpost and the Infernal Gate, I observed the other Gatekeepers’ progress around the planet. One of my brother’s fleet of Lost Souls was engaged in a fierce air fight with human aircraft somewhere far the east. A group of Cacodemons were en route to the battle. I knew that once they arrive, the skirmish would be won by our forces, so I turned my attention to a mountain range in another continent. Demons had already excavated a few ancient infernal temples and deployed the black containers there, increasing the armies of the Former Humans by millions.

My second observation orb gave out a soft crackle. You had breached the Gates to Limbo and were now on your way to Dis. The Master Spider awaited you in ambush in the citadel’s courtyard. I felt that the moment was decisive, so I turned all attention there. I could not leave my post now and that really infuriated me. I ordered my servants to leave the hall and I remained alone with the observation orb, enlarged as much as possible and about to show me the disaster that would take place soon.

Your confidence decreased as you passed the Gates of Madness and entered Dis. The evil emanations of the palace did scare you, didn’t they? From what I saw, I knew that the Master Spider’s bodyguards would make no difference – it was a fight between you and him. And I was to watch it.

You entered the courtyard and, as I expected, you did not notice what was waiting for you in ambush. Your face expressed true shock as an unimaginable spray of bullets rained upon you. I smiled when a few bullets injured your arms. You are a tough human, you know that? You were bent on keeping up the fight, no matter the cost. This I do respect. You had always been a worthy opponent. But the Spider had some real pain for you in store.

With a muffled crack twelve orbs appeared beside me – the other Gatekeepers wanted to share the experience of the battle. They told me to sit and watch the end of my worries. The battle was breath–taking indeed. You jumped back and forth, desperately trying to avoid the rain of bullets, while the Spider confidently moved around and waited for you to make a mistake. In your hopelessness, you entered inside the Spiders vault where you were safe... for a moment. The Spider decided that the building was not durable enough for his chaingun and laid his firepower upon it. As the roof crumbled you sprung out... holding something in your hands. We gasped with surprise when we saw what it was – one of the UAC’s experimental weapons stolen from Deimos – the weapon known as the BFG 9000.

The Mastermind did not expect you to wield that weapon. Your first discharge of plasma sent him back half–stunned. My worries arose again – I had some idea of the weapon’s true power. Your injured arms barely supported the weapon’s weight but you could lift it and shoot again. The Spider was ready and dodged the projectile. Another rain of bullets made you jump to the right – you dropped the BFG. With a triumphant howl, the Spider went after you, finally determined to put an end to your life. You ran around the half–destroyed vault, with an expression of exhaustion on your face...

The other Gatekeepers and I were expecting the battle’s end when the unthinkable happened. Jumping boldly under another spray of bullets you rolled over to the BFG. The Spider was preparing to turn towards you and finish you off. Then, somehow, you found the strength to lift the heavy weapon with your aching hands and a green plasma ball went forward. It hit the Mastermind in the face and vaporized half of his brain. The cybernetic body was shaken by powerful convulsion as the rest of the brain fell down and splashed on the floor.

I could not say a word. The Master Spider had fallen. Dis had fallen. Inferno was ravaged by a single mortal. The other Gatekeepers turned towards me. A very short but heated discussion was held – the decision was taken quickly. We failed because Inferno’s defenses were severely weakened by the invasion. So we decided to lure you to the place where Hell’s legions were. We concentrated and harmonized our powers...

You were sitting on the floor, trying to catch your breath, when you were surprised by a loud crackling sound. The wall at the courtyard’s bottom opened up and revealed a Portal. Through it, you could see the green fields of Earth. Feeling victorious, you stepped forth and passed through the Gate... without realizing that the Gate was opened by the Thirteen to lure you to danger.

You were on Earth now. I ordered all unengaged demons to go back to Inferno and salvage whatever they could... Within seconds, you were about to realize what has been happening on Earth while you fought evil unleashed on Mars’s moons and in Hell itself.

* * *

At that time an apparition of Lord Baphomet appeared. He was incredibly angry and demanded explanations. Neither of the Thirteen could tell him exactly what had led to the disaster that had just happened. Baphomet ordered us to take care of “the impudent mortal” and do it quick. He also implied that the punishment for failure would be _exceptionally_ severe.

You were transported to an area of many demonic outposts and facilities. We hoped that you would perish there. We dared not imagine what would happen otherwise... Failure was not an option now that we had to extinguish the last remnants of human resistance and assume full control over your world. We also had to find out how it was possible for one lonely human to inflict so much damage upon the Infernal Legions and their masters.


	15. DISRUPTION

###  **CHAPTER XV: DISRUPTION**

The body crashed into the wall and fell down, assuming a pose implying that most of its bones were broken. The other Hell Knight looked at me with terror – he definitely did not want to be thrown across the room like his unfortunate brother had just been, and made an attempt to say something. I grinned once again, baring all of my exquisitely sharp fangs, and asked him, in a voice as calm as possible, about the reasons there were problems and delays with the Invasion. He murmured something about human resistance forces, the marine that had caused so much trouble and the fact that the coordination between our forces had been very poor lately. I told him, or more precisely, _shouted_ at him to bring my orders to the legion commanders, tell them that my patience is running out and there would be very severe punishments. The Hell Knight bowed, trembling with fear and threw a last glimpse at the crushed body of his brother that lay on the other side of the room. He went out as quickly as possible and I called the imps to clean up the mess. The Invasion was not going well. And I was the one who had to take care of everything.

Our armies had difficulties throughout the Earth’s largest continents – the humans had already prepared for our coming and resisted heavily. I ordered my troops to bring more Cyberdemons and Arachnotrons from Hell, now that you were not there anymore. I also had to coordinate the activities of our new and unexpected allies...

Strange as it was, there was a group of humans that allied with us. Yes, in an old castle hidden in a distant land was a group of some strange and thoroughly evil humans. They called themselves “Nazis” or “SS”. They wanted to join our ranks and we accepted – we even gave them a Cyberdemon and some Pinkies so that they could defend their hideout when the forces of humanity discovered their betrayal. They kept some unknown relics in their bunkers. I couldn’t see them yet but they promised that they will show me what they have when Hell finally conquers the planet. Until then, the relics would be guarded by a Cyberdemon...

My observation orb showed me that you were battling in some industrial facilities that we had taken over. Casualties were heavy and I frowned as my worries awakened once again – you had gained experience and were even more efficient in battling our forces. I dearly wanted to take care of you personally, but Baphomet’s orders were strict and undeniable – I was to safeguard the city and the portal. And now an additional new order came in – there was a task for me somewhere else on the planet.

* * *

Baphomet’s apparition was ethereal but it was still obvious that he was furious. With a wicked grin, he ordered me to build an Inmost Dens complex within the city, to return to Hell for a while and bring some Void Spheres to the Earth. I shuddered – I knew very well what those spheres were and what they could do, but I preferred not to think about them now... I ordered a contingent of Hell Knights and Imps to construct the Inmost Dens according to the plans I had designed. Then I opened a Gate to a small island lost somewhere in the molten seas of Hell. I enjoyed the feeling of being in Hell once more and inhaled the hot air with pleasure. Then I walked towards the entrance of a great temple, built of black marble and ornamented with crystal skulls.

As I stepped inside, I felt that the air became very cold and humid. Braziers lined the hall I walked in. I stepped upon a thick dark red carpet ornamented with black runes of power. As I reached a pair of heavy golden doors, they opened, revealing a large underground chamber, lit by hundreds of chandeliers. In that hall’s center awaited another of my kind – a Gatekeeper. He bowed and told me that he had been informed of my arrival and the spheres were prepared. I asked him whether he knew why Void Spheres would be necessary and he replied that it was a part of Baphomet’s greater plan for the Earth and its conquest. I sighed – great things were to happen soon. He told me that the time had come for me to take what I came for. You are so curious, marine... For now, I will not tell you what the Void Spheres did. I will only tell you that humanity is very lucky because we could not use any of these artifacts.

As we went down into the crypt, I saw many tomes that I had looked for in the libraries of the Monster Condo. The other Gatekeeper told me that some special volumes were kept here in this forgotten temple, because Baphomet had ordered so. That was something I could not understand, but reminded myself that the Demonlord’s plans and schemes were always hard to clearly see by us, his lesser servants. It was then that my brother whispered to me that there were some really special grimoires that even Baphomet himself rarely dared to read. They were locked away in a place that I had already been to... A sudden flashback struck me as I remembered my first years in Hell – I remembered my journeys and a peculiar place that I had encountered – the Iron Tower. I once again vowed that I will visit it again some day. I had a really bad feeling what I would discover there.

A large underground hall appeared before us. There, in a pool of greenish liquid floated many sparkling spheres of hardly contained energy. I felt cold at the sight of the Void Spheres. My brother told me that I had to keep them very well and not touch them unless ordered by Baphomet himself. I agreed that such power was not to be toyed with and picked up as many spheres as I was ordered to. I felt relief as we climbed up into the main hall and looked at each other. The other Gatekeeper told me that I had been doing very well and, undoubtedly, a great reward would await me once the Invasion was over. I agreed and wished that he would one day be relieved of his duty of watching over this forgotten temple. I walked out and felt much better. The Gate awaited me... and the Earth beyond it. 

* * *

Once I was back, I was ordered to hide the Spheres in a place, which I considered safe enough. I immediately thought of the Temple of Darkness. Happy at the opportunity to visit it again, I quickly opened a Gate to the place where I remembered it to be. Buried under the surface, it could not be seen, but I had the power to enter it directly. I appeared in one of its dark abandoned halls. I felt very strange as I revisited this place. I walked down the quiet tunnels under the cloak of darkness. I reached one of the ritual chambers that could be locked magically. I hid the spheres there and sealed the door with its ancient lock. To improve security I also set a few curses and magical traps that would cause serious trouble to any who would attempt to enter that chamber. My work done, I headed back and passed through my former throne room and other halls that reminded me of the past days – days that were gone long ago.

With the spheres safely hidden, I returned to my command post, only to receive some really bad news. The imp who brought them was rewarded with a sudden and unexpected impact with the room’s wall. You, the marine who wreaked havoc better than any demon, had infiltrated an important facility that produced our healing substance – toxic slime mixed with blood. And you had infiltrated after moving through several other facilities, killing all demonic troops that awaited you there – two temples, overrun ordnance depots, and a small fortress had fallen to your personal war against us. And you were battling your way further, moving closer to the headquarters of a Spider Mastermind.

Another thing was that a small band of elite marines were active in one of the city streets, inflicting damage on our patrols. Luckily, I was given the honor to deal with them myself because all other troops were busy building fortifications around the city or fending off attacking troops from the regular army. Many city buildings were burning, streets were covered with debris and smoke erupted from the vents. I walked down among some ruined warehouses and small factories. I had put on a human image so that the marines would not be able to quickly retaliate. Indeed, they were very puzzled at the sight of a figure in a black robe coming towards them. Their hesitation was short... but fatal. When I raised my hands in a gesture of power, they realized that something was wrong. Too late. The earth beneath their feet exploded with terrible force and the marines were consumed by fire. As the smoking remains were scattered all over the place, I took a look around. Everything seemed fine now, and I returned to my control room.

There I saw that the Inmost Dens were complete and demons were already moving in that exceptionally useful multi–functional facility that served as a breeding ground, water supply, and training arena. I also learned that for that time, there were no human groups around the city and it finally was satisfyingly secured. The fortifications that I requested would be ready soon, and the whole place would turn into a real bastion of infernal power on Earth. Then came the nervous beeping of the communicational systems that alarmed me about your progress. And progress indeed there was.

You had almost reached the Spider Mastermind’s lair and were now inside one of the transformed facilities – a fuel factory that had been altered into a place where bodies were crushed so that the blood could be extracted and used to nourish our troops. I was seriously convinced that you would defeat all demons in that facility too and would move on to the headquarters, where my hopes lay with the Mastermind, who was experienced in combat and could possibly do what the other Spider had failed to do – destroy you and put an end to the crisis.


	16. HATRED

###  **CHAPTER XVI: HATRED**

It was clear that sheer strength and overwhelming numbers of demons were not enough to destroy you. So I decided to use cunning and deceit instead.

A Gatekeeper should always have a backup plan – something I learned long ago at the volatile construction site of the Unholy Cathedral. It was hard to find a large group of demons that were not already engaged in the Invasion. For this, I could only count on minions that were bound to me in a way that ensured strong loyalty. My thoughts turned towards my ancient servants – the Arachnotrons. They would answer my call, and I could disguise the operation I planned as a necessary preemptive assault. Still, such operations were not done without a good reason. So I needed some humans who would appear in an appropriate place at the appropriate time. The question was: how to make this happen without raising doubts in anyone.

Gatekeepers were not only masters of strategy and sorcery, we were also very highly skilled in the arts of illusion and deceit, with fear and hallucinations as our most dangerous weapons. And illusion was what I intended to use, just like I did with that unfortunate band of marines I destroyed in the city. I called my servants, as I was going to need them. I first told them to use some of the damaged human communication systems, so that I could know how their images and voices appeared. Careful observations provided me with the information I needed. Then I assembled my minions in the room and cast my spell of illusion – my minions instantly gained the appearance of human marines – some of them wounded, others carrying human weapons. I smiled and put on the appearance of a marine officer, a Major.

I carefully adjusted my magical sphere so that it could simulate the image and sound properties of human communication equipment. Adding some interference to better hide the room I was in, I tried to make contact with a platoon that my scouts had spotted beyond the hills. Poor humans – they immediately believed when they saw someone who introduced himself as “Major Boyd.” I told them that I knew of a “safe passage” through the demonic fortifications and my group, together with theirs, could reach the heart of the city and strike at the demonic overlord (that was me). They were so desperate that they quickly agreed, pushed by their despair... that was already artificially boosted by me. They promised to come to a predetermined rendezvous point during the night. They did not even suspect for a moment that this could have been a trap – they just wanted to fight and die, and grasped at the first easy opportunity they got.

When my scouts detected the group of human troops heading east towards the city I immediately sent a low–priority report to Baphomet’s first lieutenant and stated that I would gather a group of Arachnotrons and send them to exterminate the feeble mortals. As my plan was confirmed, I gathered all spider–minions I could find and instructed them about their task – ambush a human platoon that sneaks under the shroud of darkness. My servants immediately grew excited at the thought of humans slaughter. They thanked me for the opportunity I gave them and set out to prepare for the task. I decided to spend the time before the critical moment putting things in order, or at least make sure there would be no more surprises in my city.

* * *

The industrial zone was an area that could provide me with valuable resources. I ordered the Barons of Hell in the area to dismantle some components of the metal–smelting facilities and construct an energy fusion core – a powerful demonic machine that could recharge demonic artifacts – Black Containers, Megaspheres and even Blur Orbs. I wanted to resupply all of my positions inside the area. I also wanted to make sure I could use reinforcements, if the need arose. The unexpected Nazi allies were exactly what I needed. And I needed not ask them for any permissions – I built a secret Gate that led right into their mountain castle. That Gate was hidden in a recycling facility, yet easy to access by me if I needed to call upon them... or lure someone into their hideout.

Next, I ordered some of my Mancubi to assume positions in the suburbs. Another demonic army was ordered to stand by and teleport in, if trouble occurred in the area. There I intended to set a nexus of dark power – within a small building. I had not done this for a long time – I lost quite some time adjusting rune rings, enchanted skulls, telekinetic refractors and scrolls of human skin that were covered with eldritch symbols. I assembled a composition that was to serve as a Nexus charging a crystal that was laid in the underhalls of my headquarters. Once the crystal was charged, I could expand the Gate I had and summon some more reinforcements for my needs. I could also raise a force field, like the one at the star port and completely seal off the city. Yet, I needed time for the implementation of such a plan. And I strongly hoped you would be dead by then. As I left the Nexus under the care of carefully selected servants, I visited the old citadel that was now turned into a comfortable fortification for our forces.

The citadel needed reconstruction – it already had a demonic shrine added, and the keys for it hidden well. I wanted to have batteries and a facility for blood–extracting installed, as the nutrition needs of the demons that had infested the city were steadily increasing. Batteries were intended for the roofs of many buildings, as I knew the humans would eventually find out that our forces were concentrated around this specific town. The magical defenses that I had raised were sufficient for the common human troops – it was elite marines that I expected to appear at some point. To provide better troop support, I ordered imps to seek out every single human corpse in the city and raise it as a Former human. Specimens of higher quality would naturally be used for Former Commandos who proved to be very efficient against the shocked human soldiers.

* * *

I was pleased to hear that the deceived human platoon that I had been expecting was now in position and the Arachnotrons were hardly containing their bloodlust. I did not want to disappoint my minions – the order was given. Metallic feet clanked loudly, hydraulic devices moved swiftly and energy emitters were charged. The marines realized what was happening when they saw the spider–like shadows appearing from the shadows. They tried to raise their weapons. Yes, only tried... as they reached for their firearms, a volley of plasma bolts rained upon them. Many of the troops were killed instantly. The others took cover among the rubble. They didn’t attempt to counter-attack immediately; they were still shocked by the sudden ambush and the death of their comrades. The rhythmic sound of the metallic legs made the soldiers desperate – they hardly managed to stay in one place despite the orders that their commander yelled. One of them jumped up and shot. Seconds after that he was mowed down by bolts of plasma.

The platoon commander made a desperate decision – he and the rest of the survivors headed into the darkness and ran. They managed to run away and hide among some trees, leaving two young privates behind – shot dead by my minions. I watched the tragedy unfold from my Observation Orb. My servants intended to chase the survivors and put an end to them, but I immediately ordered them to remain in place and patrol the area, in a radius of five hundred meters. I smiled – the troops exactly were in the place I wanted. The place where you would have to pass, _if_ you could approach the city. I had given my minions special instructions to expect you – I gave them a brief introduction of what they would be up against and some predictions derived from the analysis I performed on your actions by now. I must admit that I was impressed by the careful and patient tactics that you employed. I regret to say that you often led demonic minions into fighting each other. That lack of self–control was something I strived to eradicate in my troops. I used mental manipulation, punishments and rewards, yet demons always remained savage manifestations of chaos. I could only polish the small flaws and hope the others would not show up in critical moments.

As I sat in my dark throne chamber, I thought about many things. About the past, about the recent events, and especially about your appearance – an element that no one could have predicted. And this element had already inflicted severe damage upon our forces and threatened to ruin the great plan set in motion long ago. Then I started thinking about how it all started – a lonely marine who survived only because he remained behind to guard the landing pod of his combat group. Was it a deviation from the determined course, a mistake of fate? Was it something that just happened because the circumstances were such? Or was it destiny?

Was it destiny?


	17. FLASHBACK

###  **CHAPTER XVII: FLASHBACK**

I sat alone in the dark hall. The only sound to disturb the brooding silence was the gentle crackling of the candles that were lit in the corners. I sat on my throne, thinking. I had ordered no one to come in for any reason. I sat and thought for quite some time. I thought about you and the crisis that grew bigger as the minutes passed. My thoughts turned towards destiny, predetermination and the roles of individuals in it. Did you have a special role? Did I have one? Or any of the denizens of Hell? I tried to imagine that all I have ever done was predetermined and planned long before I was even created. Who could possibly possess the power to design destinies? I realized that I have never thought about the creation of Hell, or the origins of its master – Lord Baphomet. How were all worlds brought into being – that question came before me suddenly. With it came the memory of my long gone youth... a conversation that I had with an elder demon at the ancient construction site of the Unholy Cathedral.

I saw it clearly, just as if I was there once again – young, scared and inexperienced... I talked with one of the elder warlocks – powerful demons that dwelled in hidden catacombs, but came out for the construction of that great unholy temple. How did they look like? Ah yes, yes – you have not seen them... Imagine a tall and mighty centaur with skin as red as freshly spilled blood. He tutored me for some time – helping me out as I first learned the ways of demonkind.

I admit I did not listen well when I was young. It was now that the warlock’s words struck me and I fully realized their value.

* * *

Five tall towers surrounded a central shrine that glowed with unnatural power. The Unholy Cathedral rose proud over the continent of Inferno. Three of its towers and much of the central shrine stood as skeletons of beams and other elements – they were far from finished and there was a lot more work to do. The work was hard – the construction process involved the addition and careful adjustment of numerous magical elements. These elements were highly volatile and sensitive – each piece was set and attuned with the greatest care by the teams of warlocks. Tomes filled with arcane runes, orbs containing unquiet souls, enchanted skulls and bones, flasks containing eldritch substances, or even whole stained glass windows imbued with dark power were the elements that were installed with immaculate precision. They were set inside walls, under floors, in corners of rooms, on altars, or even floating in the air above specific points. All these pieces were ordered and aligned in such a way that they created a complicated network of power lines of energy currents. In a secret place within the Cathedral, the lines formed a focus that was to be used for purposes that were kept secret from everyone. There were also other, lesser foci and nexus–points that were to be used by the warlocks and Hellish priests.

I worked on a sacrificial chamber, slowly learning as I used the enchanted elements. The chamber was located in the northern tower of the cathedral. We began work on an empty platform under the hellish sky. When we finished the room already had a roof and walls – it was almost complete. The only thing left was to bestow power unto the altar that was personally shaped and ornamented by me. Inside the stone, I set an urn that contained potent demonic relics. I finished my ritual and stood back in uneasy expectation. Then I felt refreshed and confident – a powerful flow of dark magic flowed through the chamber and the ornamented antechambers that we had fashioned outside. That first success was the first moment of delight that I had in my life – a sudden moment of clarity that was now, for all time, a part of the hard work that went into the construction site. And the work was hard indeed – exhaustion and injuries of lesser demonic minions were a problems we had to deal with constantly. The overall productivity had to be kept high. There was also the fear of failures – punishments were severe and equal for everyone.

It was once after we had finished constructing the support pillars at a long hall with stained glass windows that depicted blood-drenched battles of demons and some creatures I could not recognize. The warlock and I sat in the Cathedral’s inner yard. The time was what you humans would identify as “night”, though there were neither days nor nights in Hell. It was a short period when the light was dim and the air became colder – phenomena that were common in the continent of Inferno. I was very exhausted and longed to have a few moments of rest. The warlock decided to talk to me about some things that I considered unimportant back then. He wanted to talk to me about the origins of our realm and the basics of a thing called “fate.” He began by asking me about what I had learned during the day. I took a deep breath and told him about my discovery of the principles of primal magic and its place in all other disciplines of the arcane arts. He grinned and told me that I was advancing very well... and then began his tale of the important concepts.

It was unknown how the Multiverse first began. It is unknown what or who created it. But it was known that the great Demonlord, Baphomet, existed from nearly the very beginning. He existed together with other powerful entities that gathered together to lay down the designs of the world and determine the laws that would bind them. A small number of dimensions were set into the fabric of existence. Powerful artifacts, long forgotten, were four ancient runes of tremendous power. And the worlds... one of them was to be the neutral, “middle” world of the humans where the influences of all extradimensional entities would clash and interfere. A Netherworld was created – the realm where the souls of the dead would abide forever. Other dimensions and worlds were created, and order seemed to be brought into the raging void of existence. Yet something went wrong.

The great powers of magic bestowed upon humanity led to their corruption. Their world, that later came to be known as the Elder World, was blackened by an evil blight, and the great entities of Existence decided to bring about a great change. An enormous world, larger than everything ever created before. That world was to possess highly limited resources of magic so that the corruption would be prevented forever. Humans and other species that were to be independent (as they were deemed less important for unknown reasons) would abide that Universe, and the entities would not interfere with it. The Elder World and the several other original worlds were to be isolated from the Fabric of Existence forever. The mythical four runes were to be locked away in these worlds and forbidden to all... The primal worlds were to be guarded by ancient druidic deities (the warlock did not know the exact meaning of “druidic”, he used the word as he had learned it) who were charged to keep these worlds and their forsaken denizens forever locked, bound to the rule of one chosen deity whose name was forever lost.

It was known that one of the last survivors of the Elder World vowed that humanity would one day claim its vengeance upon the dimensional entities that brought them their ruin. A man would arise to challenge fate itself and restore the balance in Existence. With the death of all denizens of the Elder World, the Netherworld became a powerful focal point of arcane power, as it was overloaded with the countless souls of powerful sorcerers. Every human of the Elder World had been a sorcerer to some extent... and the countless magic–wielding souls that dwelled within the original realm of the dead made it so powerful that, from time to time, it would tear the boundaries of the worlds and manifest itself in the mortal plane – in the form of ghosts, energy storms, humans that would gain magical power or visions that haunted mortal minds... And indeed – dim legends are all that remains of the memory of these original worlds and the powerful artifacts that they held sealed for all eternity.

These little problems were not noticed by the great entities as they had a much more important matter to take care of – a feud had erupted among the entities that were once coordinated and united in their goals. They divided into warring factions, and each of these groups left to create their own worlds in the vastness of Existence. Some of them created amazing worlds of arcane power and secret sciences. Others created worlds where intelligent species would develop uncontrolled, so that one day they would interfere with other civilizations. Still others went beyond the boundaries of dimensions and created their own domains there. Legends even speak of a great Arena built by one of the factions – an arena created for cruel entertainment and the pursuit of some other secret purpose... Among all these Deities, one set out to achieve His own goals alone. That entity was Lord Baphomet.

* * *

An embodiment of chaos among the other Deities of order, Baphomet had always been strongly bent towards what humans knew as “evil”. He managed to focus all the corruption and hatred that were accumulated in the forsaken Elder World and accumulate them into one powerful nexus that spawned a vast new dimension built from pure chaos, evil, shadows and uncontrolled arcane power – Hell. With his power, the great Demonlord adjusted the flows of Existence in a way that would always bring the evil and darkened souls of living (or undead) beings from all worlds and dimensions into Hell and bind them there for all time. Thus, Baphomet hoped to gather a grand army of darkness and embark upon His ultimate task – the undoing of all Creation. From the swirling powers of corruption and foulness, Baphomet spawned a race of unrefined fire and hatred – the demons. Grotesque but powerful in both combat and spellcraft, this race soon populated the burning world of Hell, busy with their primary tasks – breeding and the torture of the souls that were trapped in there. With the expansion of his domain and the plans of conquest at hand, Baphomet needed trusted demons whose powers would be close to his own. These beings would be commanders and creators of passages into other worlds. They would be the Gatekeepers.

Destiny was a complicated concept that dealt with the predetermination of many facets of Existence. It was not known when and where that was determined. It was not even certain whether there was such a plan over the whole course of time. Some ancient artifacts, such as the Spear of Destiny could be related to this vague force. Their origins undoubtedly bound to the forsaken original worlds. Their presence in the new Universe could only mean that many of the deities had broken the ancient agreements and had brought artifacts from those worlds despite the danger that they could hold.

And if Destiny did exist – there was nothing anyone could do to change or stop it. Destiny was undeniable and everyone could only be caught in its merciless grasp.

After the talk, the warlock spoke to me about the responsibility that I would bear after my training was complete. Shortly afterwards he left me and went to work on the ritual summoning circles of the western tower of the Unholy Cathedral. I decided to spend some time by the river of blood that flowed near the construction site, looking over the mist–covered plains of Inferno. I did not care about what had just been spoken to me. I was still an inexperienced and unconfident demon that had no idea what his future was going to be...

The memory faded away and I was once again alone in the dark hall. One memory echoed in my mind – the thought of the human that would rise to restore some kind of balance that only the transdimensional Deities could comprehend. And then I pictured you. Could you, marine, be that human, destined to rise beyond the predetermined course of time and change it forever. A lonely individual that would change a plan set in motion millennia ago and bring about a new course that no one could have predicted. And what would follow in the future? A triumph... or the destruction of everything that had been built for eons?

Were you the chosen one? Could I stop you? And if you could not be stopped... what would be caused by you and what would the future be?

I stood up and went out. I knew I had to do something. The problem is – I had no idea what exactly.


	18. CHARGE

###  **CHAPTER XVIII: CHARGE**

Our carefully built defenses were crumbling before you. My minions desperately tried to devise plans to stop one marine who single–handedly defeated the demonic hordes. Essential resources were redirected because of you. I had to think of something to solve the problem but even I had started to suspect that it was already decided who would win... I had to strengthen the city’s defenses at all costs, but I lacked the necessary number of underlings to fulfill the plans that the Council of the Thirteen had laid down together. The city’s pillaged warehouses did not provide as much resources as we had expected and our troops at the star port could not reach the humans that were trapped there. To top it all, Lord Baphomet decided that I should go back to Inferno and assess the damage.

The brimstone–imbued air of Hell always made me feel better. As I stood on a high plateau, I took a deep breath and looked down upon Inferno. Ominous columns of smoke rose from the damaged buildings below. Above my head, still hovering silently, was Deimos – dead and forsaken. The Hell Keep, the Pandemonium, the House of Pain – they were damaged and demons went through holes in the walls, carrying heavily injured survivors that were to be questioned. Far in the distance, I beheld the smoking towers of the Unholy Cathedral. Pain and anger were boiling inside me as I watched the ruin of what I had built. I decided to go there and check it up close, hoping that my wrath may give me the strength to destroy you.

The outer wall, ornamented with runes of destruction was ruined – a large hole indicated the point you have used your rockets to penetrate the walls and enter the Cathedral itself. I walked through several rooms – their floors covered with the corpses of demons of several kinds. I walked in silence and witnessed ravaged reliquaries, devastated libraries, destroyed cursed idols and other evidence that a fierce fight had taken place as the cathedral defenders struggled to stop you. In the central yard, I stopped and examined the five towers. The top of one of them was missing. The others were relatively untouched and I decided to visit the western tower.

* * *

I went up, familiar places and images appearing before my eyes. I reached a room that was not damaged at all – it contained images on the walls and sculptures. I thought that I had never looked at them before... There were images of epic battles, many of which were unknown to me. Lord Baphomet was on those images – crushing unknown races, conquering unknown worlds, claiming unknown artifacts of great power. Next came a gilded image of Baphomet performing a dark ritual – his arms high in the sky, with powerful bolts of arcane energy swirling and tearing the very fabric of reality. Below him were thirteen little figures that were spawned into existence – each of them had a runic sign on it. I stared at one of the figures – the one marked with the rune, which I recognized as my own name. The scene represented my birth. Other images of battles and rituals filled the dusty hall. I stopped for a moment when I saw the largest of those pictures on the walls – the one that depicted a panoramic view of Hell in its full glory. In one of the picture’s corners was a small obscure building. A tower made of iron.

The Iron Tower – the place of palpable fear that attracted me. I remembered that I had promised to visit it one day and uncover its secrets. I had seen maps of Hell, and the location of that tower was never indicated in any way, as if it did not exist. One of the sculptures caught my attention – it was a small marble model of the Temple of Darkness. I smiled – the dark priests and necromancers had noted an achievement of mine. I wanted to spend more time in that hall but I had to check on Dis. And I knew what I would see even before I went there.

A few Cyberdemons had gathered in Dis, looking at the ruined towers and the corpse of the Master Spider – my reincarnated ancient servant. I still could not believe that he – the one who was selected among many faithful – had fallen before a desperate human that was not considered a good warrior by his brethren, who had left him to guard the landing pod on Phobos. Ironically, that saved you – I am sure that you would have perished in the chaos that ensued when your brethren were suddenly ambushed in one of the tight corridors of the Phobos colony. I wondered if Gatekeepers could travel in time... impossible, but if only I could do it, I would simply go back to the first moments of the invasion and blow up that landing pod while you were still inside, or even while it was landing. The thought of this was so sweet that I found myself standing in one place and smiling, under the surprised gazes of the Cyberdemons. They were really angry after the loss of their Warlord and only the necessity to use their strength to work on the recovery of Inferno prevented them from going to Earth, where they undoubtedly would have try to find you and tear you into pieces...

* * *

I returned to Earth prepared for bad news. I was right. It took my servants some time to gather enough courage to tell me about your newest “achievements”. The group of facilities that we had conquered outside the city area had fallen. The Spider that ruled one of our important headquarters was defeated in a terrible battle that left you slightly injured. My minions tried to find you while you were weakened and destroy you... but you had hidden somewhere. I could not use my observation orb to find you as some recent incursions by surviving marines had forced my troops to deploy their potent warlock spells and the areas to the west of the city were now charged with residual energies that interfered with my observation spell. Yet my scouts informed me that there were indications that you had found some marine survivors – including the last members of the unfortunate platoon that was deceived by my “Major Boyd” illusion. I was sure you, humans, were plotting together.

The fall of the Spider in the western hills had created much chaos among my troops. I had to appoint another Spider to control the troops that were responsible for the city’s defenses. I did not have time to organize the distribution of the forces, so I decided to send that Mastermind to one of the industrial facilities near the star port – a factory that had some kind of enormous crusher. While he coordinated the efforts of the city defenders, I took charge of the demonic forces within the city itself. Many of the facilities and devices that I had ordered to be built were almost ready. The defenses were particularly important now as I was sure you and your new friends would attempt something that would cause trouble but also provide a good opportunity for me to destroy you.

I could not order my minions to search for you and your fellows – I did not have enough troops, as most of Hell’s army was currently focused on wiping out the last remnants of human resistance throughout the planet. Besides, I had decided to keep most of my servants within the city. I did not expect that you would take decisive actions against me soon. I should admit that I was mistaken... and I definitely did not expect what was going to happen.

A sudden flash on one of the still functional monitors around me indicated that a disturbance had occurred somewhere within the vast fields to the west of the city. Surprised, I looked at the dim images of smoke and explosions. A battle! I quickly summoned and carefully adjusted two observation spheres. I did not at all like what I saw in them – you and an enormous group of marines, as well as civilians with assorted weapons, were charging towards the city, shouting and shooting dead some of my Former humans that kept watch over the valleys. Together, you looked like a formidable strike force and I knew that I had to deal with you seriously, without underestimating for a second the humble abilities that you, humans, possessed. My strategy required that I knew perfectly where you were trying to go. I drew a large magical scheme of the battlefield – a small red light indicated where your group of desperate human “soldiers” was. I looked more carefully and checked where your possible destination was. I gasped in surprise and terror. You were going straight to a point where my defenses were not completed, or more precisely – not even begun construction. There was no way to stop you.

* * *

I don’t remember very well the following hour. I shouted orders at my servants. I connected with my troops on the battlefield and ordered them to move quickly and close the gap that was so foolishly allowed. My group of Arachnotrons was near the place your group was and I put my hopes into them – in a group fight you might as well fall and be removed from my path forever. Two Cyberdemons in the nearby hills were another option – if only they could assume position to launch their missiles in time. There were a few small groups of Hell Knights and Cacodemons, though I doubted they would be any good. I breathed deeply, trying to calm down and analyze the situation. Your group was quickly approaching from the west; some of my troops could intercept you, coming from the south and the north. I had the opportunity for two attacks upon your group. I checked my map and felt relief when I saw that there were no other human forces in the area. I could not count the minutes – the shining points on the map were running for one determined point, as a bigger red light moved towards the outer facilities of star port. The first fight broke out on time – a group of Hell Knights intercepted your group but only succeeded in killing a few of you – your brethren were really inspired to fight.

The Arachnotrons assumed positions around the remains of some destroyed trees. “Fire at will” was what I told them before contacting my forces within the star port. They reacted quickly and made sure the way to the Great Switch was blocked. Many facilities were shut down so that the maintenance tunnels and access shafts were blocked off. If one of the humans would reach the star port, he would have to go through the whole complex, looking for the chamber of the Switch. In the best case, none of you would reach the compound. I leaned back in my throne and prepared to watch the show. The first of your troops came out on the small hill. He looked around and decided that it was safe. He turned around to wave to the others... but he never finished the move. Bolts of plasma erupted from many directions and he was fried. The others quickly retreated terrified by the stomp of metallic legs that drew closer. Most of them carried only pathetic pistols and weak one–barreled shotguns. Before they could decide what to do, my minions had climbed the hill and unleashed another volley of plasma that claimed another four victims.

A rocket flew through the air but missed. It came from the back of the column – it was easy to assume that you were there. All humans took cover and gave back a few shots that merely scratched the armor of the cybernetic spiders. I smiled – the events had turned out in a way I liked. My troops slowly moved forward. I could hear the terrified voices of the hidden humans that trembled in fear as the sound of the deadly hydraulic mechanisms came closer. I could literally feel their fear – the feeling was the same as the feeling of satisfaction from a tasty meal, or a keg full of human blood after an exhausting battle, or standing quiet before the glorious falls of fire close to the Unholy Cathedral. The moment was so good that its interruption was rather unpleasant. Apparently, you had brought several rocket launchers and plasma guns with you. And your comrades had gathered many boxes of ammo and energy cells. Your retaliation destroyed one of spiders. I shouted to my servants and demanded that they finish their work quickly and leave no one alive. Driven by a hellish frenzy, the Arachnotrons moved forward, spraying deadly plasma in all directions. I guess you remember well as all of you rose at once and opened fire with the chainguns and plasma rifles that you had been hiding until now. Smoke and flames hid the scene from my eyes as shots were fired in all directions. A few minutes later I saw what had happened. More than two thirds of the human troops were dead and almost all of their equipment was destroyed – that was a fortune development. What spoiled my happiness was the fact that all Arachnotrons were destroyed and you were still alive. In my anger, I grabbed the imp that stood near me and tore him into two halves. The other servants looked terrified but did not say a thing.

Later that day, the human survivors finished burying their fallen comrades and moved further towards the star port. I had already overcome my wrath and prepared one final ambush for you. They never saw the two Cyberdemons that were waiting in ambush among a few damaged cargo vehicles. I was quite annoyed after my spiders’ defeat and ordered the Cyberdemons to purge the area when you appeared. The rain of rockets was something you did not expect. Powerful explosion shook the ground. The Cyberdemons unleashed their whole load of missiles and retreated back into the star port. The result of that violent attack was the picture of many crushed bodies that covered the burned ground. I laughed – the threat was finally destroyed and...

One man walked slowly towards one of the entrances of the star port. I recognized his uniform – your uniform! I felt helpless. To my credit, I succeeded in vanquishing all of your fellow troops but you had survived the two violent attacks. Armed with nothing more than a pistol, you sank into the shadows of the infested facility. All of my troops inside were alerted about the new situation.

The human army that had attacked the breach in our security was defeated. The man who caused so much trouble was still alive and seeking to find the chamber of the Switch and set his brethren free.

I leaned back in my throne again. For the first time in so many years, I felt the need to have a break...


	19. CHAOS

###  **CHAPTER XIX: CHAOS**

You, human, know very well the bitter taste of failure and guilt. This is nothing compared to the weight of doubt – doubt that comes when you wonder whether you have done what was right. I have felt that doubt, and you have felt it too. Yes, marine, I know some things about your past and the fateful decision that you took several years ago. I saw the image in your mind – the image of those innocent people and your commander who ordered you to shoot at them. And then comes the moment of hesitation – only one short moment before the quick decision and the quick action that follows it. It was short and quick... but afterwards came the doubt – long and heavy. It never gave you peace; it has kept drilling inside you, darkening your days and befouling your nights to this very day.

I could not stop thinking whether I had done something wrong. Everything went well for millennia and then – a sudden turn of events that spawned chaos and catastrophes. The big question that still lingered was whether I could have done something about it... or the relentless mechanism of destiny was slowly moving closer to its goal that had been determined in ages past, upon worlds that no living creature had seen for countless eons. And then what? Surrender – not an option for me. Go on and fight – did I have the strength? What I had was a grim determination for vengeance and fulfilling the ultimate plan of conquest. Everything else was unimportant.

An armed and dangerous human near the star port was undesirable and I wanted to take care of it myself. But I could not – Baphomet had forbidden such interventions to be performed by the Thirteen and we had our hands tied. I often discussed different ways of destroying you with the other Gatekeepers – all of them wanted to see you dead and bring the Invasion to its victorious end. One of my brothers suggested that Baphomet had a plan that involved the usage of the Void Spheres. We all frowned on the mentioning of these artifacts – we hoped that we would not have to use them. The danger was great. No, human, the time has not yet come for me to tell you about those spheres. I can only tell you that we, Gatekeepers, knew enough about them to be afraid. Very afraid.

It was in that critical moment that my Lord decided that I have had enough troubles with you. Baphomet gave me another assignment – I was to direct Hell’s actions concerning the unexpected allies that we had found with those so–called “Nazis” in their secret castle in Europe. I had to go there, monitor them, and find what I could about the artifacts they were hiding in the bunker, guarded by the Cyberdemon my Lord generously gave them. They did much to express their “heartfelt gratitude” by pretending to offer help to human resistance groups before exterminating them with surprise attacks. They gladly helped us, even though none of the Thirteen could understand why they did so. The important thing then was to benefit as much as possible from those fools. It was highly possible that they sought benefits too – perhaps they knew that many of their “great leaders” were currently inhabitants of Hell. The scientists, Schabbs and von Giftmacher, were morphed long ago into demonic entities that helped our armies with their talents.

* * *

Rain was one of the things about your planet that demons hated the most. That day there was much rain and it poured down upon me and my few chosen minions as we stepped out of the Gate and emerged in front of an old castle, high in the mountains. Soldiers in blue uniforms opened the gates – they pretended to not be specifically impressed, but I could smell their fear as demons entered their hideout. The chamber we entered was heavily ornamented with flags, portraits and various symbols. One picture caught my attention – it depicted something that seemed to be a mountain of eldritch fire. On its top stood a spear with a shining golden blade. The Spear of Destiny – a powerful artifact I knew very little about. These humans seemed to revere it very much – the way they revered whatever they kept hidden in the bunker several levels below us.

The castle’s desolate West wing became my sanctum for my stay in this place. Truth be told, I was very frustrated to be stuck in this forsaken place, while you, the greatest of Hell’s enemies were loose near the star port that was encased in a force field created by me. Lord Baphomet did not want any of his Gatekeepers to lose control over their emotions. I guess he did what had to be done. Yet there was doubt – doubt in my abilities and confidence to carry on. I will not hide that among the Thirteen was a clandestine game of influence and power. I was starting to suspect that my luck in that game was abandoning me – after the many years of success. I preferred to stay away from these humans and not bother with their petty problems and goals. They did a good job in producing weapons and ammo, as well as fighting against human resistance forces. And that was it – they had no idea of the great plans that were set in motion, they could not comprehend the point of everything that happened.

The dark stony halls of the castle helped calm me down and concentrate. The humans kept something hidden from me – I was sure. I clearly felt the presence of powerful artifacts throughout their headquarters. They kept things that they claimed were the legacy of the SS Paranormal Division that existed during the war they had led. They mentioned something about dealing with the undead and excavations in ancient crypts. That caught my attention – it seemed that my stay with them could be beneficial after all. If only I could get my hands on the artifacts that they possessed. These people were bold – they gleefully played with forces they did not understand. Their experiments had brought them knowledge that mortals were never meant to have. In the scheme of all things, their place was not clear. It was to be my pleasure to try and figure things out.

One day I succeeded in getting one of their officers, titled “Obersturmer”, to talk to me about their secret research. He revealed that many years ago, in the days of the war, their paranormal division was involved with the undead, as they made excavations at a village – excavations that revealed a large underground complex of catacombs and forgotten crypts. There they discovered many powerful artifacts, though they never understood the purpose of most of the items that they dug out. He added that the whole thing had been related to some long–dead evil ancient ruler. I smiled – what he described sounded like the mission that one of my fellow–Gatekeepers was given centuries before. I knew that one of my brothers was to create a small army of the undead for experimental purposes. Those crypts and the artifacts inside could only be the remnants of his work...

The Spear of Destiny seemed to be the most important piece of that puzzle – an artifact with great power over the undead, and an unexpected gateway to Hell’s catacombs that used to be inhabited by the enigmatic Angel of Death – the demon keeper of the darkest of human souls. The reckless humans experimented with the Spear and ultimately channeled its power to create a small rift in the fabric of reality. I frowned – rifts were similar to Gates, yet unstable, unreliable, very hard to control, impossible to navigate and highly prone to explode. The worst thing was that you could never know where a rift could lead. It was also possible that a rift would open into alternative images of reality, showing events that would never happen. It was within the Gatekeepers’ power to open such portals, but none of us would do so. Through one such rift, the Nazis had managed to extract some artifacts after their team went through and was ambushed by “nightmarish creatures”. They found someone there and supposedly brought him back. The unstable nature of the rift manifested itself by creating three exact copies of what was found and killing all but one of the team. The four identical bodies of whomever was found were kept locked in the sanctum and worshipped by the foolish humans who witnessed the events of that day.

I could barely contain my laughter – the humans were actually keeping some dead bodies and saw them as something valuable. The Obersturmer probably felt what I thought and quickly added that those bodies were charged with mystical energy. What a surprise – you get something out of a rift and it is charged with the essence of chaos. These humans’ ignorance was truly amazing! I was still wondering why Lord Baphomet decided to spare them and count them as allies – they were useless. The thought that calmed me was that once the Earth was conquered, they would be taken care of too... That reminded me that one especially trouble–making marine was still out there – fighting through the infested star port that was near the city I ruled.

* * *

I wanted to know what was going on there, even though Baphomet had ordered that I concentrated on other tasks. I contacted one of my loyal Barons there and he informed me that the demonic troops were trying to trap you in the waste tunnels and destroy you, though you fought very well and the number of casualties was high. I told him to contact me if something unexpected happened and returned to my work in the castle. The previous day, the blue–uniformed soldiers had had a fight with a contingent of marines who were aware of their betrayal. They lost a few troops, many more were injured. My minions and I had to care about the security of the castle – the perfect opportunity to learn more about their discoveries. I was exhausted after the events of the last few days, but I quickly felt refreshed after discovering a soul sphere in one secret stash. Consuming the sphere gave me strength and confidence. In the following days, I discovered many more stashes where old demonic artifacts were kept – discoveries of the past days of research. Among them were some quite interesting items.

I found a Tome of Darkening – a book that was used to corrupt the souls of hapless humans and turn them into loyal disciples of the demon who used the tome. I had never used such disciples – humans were way too fragile and weak–minded, and thus I preferred to use Hell Knights. Later I found a Chalice of Hatred – a golden cup in which human blood was brewed and turned into a vile black substance that was used to increase the magical powers of Barons of Hell for a brief period of time. It is amazing how much destruction such Barons were able to create. In one secret chamber was a Demonic Halo – a black circlet that enabled demons to fly and attack their enemies with orbs of dark energy. I was pleased to discover an Urn of Gathering – a container designed to capture a soul that could later be used for some other purpose. In another chamber, among a few Blur Orbs, I found a small ornamented box that contained the Ashes of Oblivion – a vile substance in the form of grey powder that quickly dissolved the bodies of any living beings, turning flesh and bone into a highly corrosive liquid that emanated highly toxic vapors and could retain its potency for a very long time. Thankfully, Gatekeepers were immune to its effects.

These artifacts were valuable and I collected them all for my personal needs – I was sure the humans would not check their stashes soon. Besides, what right did they have to use the creations of Hell like this? They had undoubtedly discovered all these items in the crypts they excavated many years before. Now they rightfully belonged to me. I was glad that my visit to that castle would provide me with benefits. Those few items were definitely more useful than all the human troops and their weird ideas.

I wanted to return to the city and carry on with my normal duties. It was obvious that there was no need for me in the area, especially when there were problems at the star port. Problems that soon reminded me of themselves. The Baron of Hell sought contact with me urgently. When his face appeared in the magical orb, I already knew that you had caused something once again. I was right – the Spider Mastermind in the crusher facility was defeated, the troops were not coordinated and you were going deep into the facility, probably aware of the location of the Switch. The situation had deteriorated much and urgent action was necessary.

A few hours later, an ethereal apparition of Baphomet appeared and ordered me to return to the city...


	20. RUIN

###  **CHAPTER XX: RUIN**

My minions greeted me when I came out of the Gate. The reports were not very clear but it was apparent that the inner circle of the star port had been breached after you destroyed the small outpost guarded by a contingent of Mancubi and Arachnotrons. Survivors that you met had told you about the approximate location of the Switch. It was also obvious that the number of troops throughout the compound was far from sufficient. None of the other Gatekeepers could provide reinforcements for me. Baphomet had given strict orders that the troop distribution remained as it was set before the Invasion. We knew that our Master was weaving numerous interconnected schemes and plots, and would not change what was already set in motion. I was alone with my problem – exactly like you were alone against Hell and its legions.

I had to use everything I could to stop you. I withdrew troops from vital points so that I could concentrate them in your way. I remembered my old plan to lure you into the SS castle, thinking that perhaps humans would be able to destroy you. That city was a vital part of the Invasion plan and its security was a priority. I had the honor to be the bearer of that responsibility and I could not afford to fail my master.

The situation made it necessary for the Thirteen to gather once again and come up with a solution. I greeted my brothers as they entered the dark hall and commented on its comforts. We sat around a table of black wood surrounded by burning braziers. The servants were ordered to walk away and not interrupt the meeting for any reason. Silence hung heavy over the table as none of us knew how to start. I looked at them and began the conversation by asking them about the conditions in their areas. They were quite happy telling me that they had no problems with the last pathetic remnants of human resistance. How could they not be happy – they were not at all pressed by a huge crisis as I was. It was apparent that your destruction was the only thing that remained to be done before the Earth could be considered conquered and its transformation – initiated.

There were many things that had to be decided upon. Looking forward to the post–Invasion period, we planned about the assignment of tasks among us, the redistributions of resources, the organization of the troops, the zombification of all surviving humans and, of course, the disturbing presence of Void Spheres in this world. The last issue bothered all of us, as we had no idea about Baphomet’s reasons regarding the use of these artifacts at this time. He would not tell us why He needed them, just as he never told us where he got those Spheres from... As far as we knew, these artifacts were supposed to have been destroyed millennia before we were summoned into existence. Yet, our master had many of them hidden in the underground chamber that I visited. Knowing what could be done with such power, I could only guess what boundaries Baphomet was planning to cross.

* * *

One of my brothers proposed that I order my troops to destroy the star port completely, blowing up the fuel tanks and the ammo reserves throughout the compound. The resulting huge explosion could be sufficient to destroy you and end the crisis for good. I really liked that idea but I knew that the star port was necessary for the subsequent strikes at the remaining human outposts on the Moon and Mars. I proposed that we gathered all troops in the area and sent them to the area you were last spotted en masse. I thought that at least half of them would survive after the battle was over and you would finally be no more. One little thing made this scheme impossible – it was not acceptable to leave the city undefended because of one human marine that was harder to kill. Then I reminded my brothers of the ancient story of the destined revenge of humanity upon the entities that had interfered with their lives.

Silence. The other twelve remained quiet for a few minutes, thinking over my point. I had some doubts if they were sufficiently familiar with the complicated concepts of destiny and the dark tales of the original worlds. Most of my brothers did not have much faith in this story – they were strongly convinced that humanity would never be able to do anything about its destiny and that old legend was merely one of the many tales about the fall of the Elder World. These legends were meant to demonstrate the corruption of those realms and humans’ capacity for self–deceit and egotism. It was beyond doubt that the ancient human magi had long passed into oblivion, consumed by their own lust for power and studies into darkness and chaos. My brothers agreed that you were an extraordinary case and, therefore, had to be dealt with in an extraordinary way. The problem was that we did not have sufficient resources to take such special measures...

The designs that we had created were to be discussed – designs of fortresses, temples and other infernal installation that would be built after the invasion ended. These buildings’ purpose was the channeling and focusing of infernal energies that would change the face of the planet forever. The fulfillment of our mission would bring us our eternal reward and more power than we had ever dreamed of. The fact that there was a tedious obstacle, in the form of a stubborn human marine, standing before the achieving of that goal, infuriated us. It was also well–known that the one who solved the problem would receive Baphomet’s special praise and the greatest of honor known to any demon. I could almost feel the smell of a competition among us. And each of us knew perfectly well that there were no rules...

I brought the topic of the reckless humans who insisted on being our allies. These rather unpleasant fanatics proved to be a minor asset in our army, and the artifacts they possessed were not of any particular value. The convenient thing about the situation was the fact that there were plenty of demonic troops in the area – one order was needed for them to exterminate the SS and destroy their castle. Any remaining weapons and artifacts could be taken away for further use. My brothers agreed that my plan was sound and proposed that I execute it as soon as possible. My evil grin was all the confirmation they needed...

I wanted to bring the issue of the recent security breach to the debate. I considered it unacceptable that a whole sector in our defenses was vulnerable and completely open to attack, thanks to the poor management by the Spider Masterminds. In my view, the solution would be for us to quickly...

* * *

I stood up and looked at the others – their looks told me that they had felt it too. A sudden shift in the currents of infernal energy could only mean that there was trouble somewhere close to the city. I hit one of the still functional buttons on the damaged control panel and one of the dirty monitors came to life. We saw the star port, thick clouds of smoke rising from the central buildings. Several explosions and plasma discharges were more than enough to reveal the reason for the disturbance. Dimmed demonic figures were running in all directions under a rain of falling debris. I frowned at the thought of what would happen if the fires reach the fuel tanks – neither me, nor my minions could rebuild such a complex installation. A horde of Cacodemons flew above the buildings without any coordination. I tried to order them to go down to the area of the Switch and hunt you down... I tried.

To my horror, I felt a sudden shift of energy followed by alarms and the grinding of machinery. A loud hissing was heard, and the force field that enveloped the star port began to dissipate before my eyes. I tried to stretch out my senses and examine the area closely. It was exactly as I suspected – the chamber of the Switch did not respond to my commands. Realizing the futility of any further defense of the star port, I recalled my troops, telling them to return within the city and await further orders. It was now obvious that it would be within this town that the decisive battle would take place.

With mighty bursts from their overloaded engines, the human spaceships rose from the ravaged spaceport and ascended towards space above the ruined planet. The trails of smoke in the sky were so many... and we, the Thirteen, could only watch them with anger. Our anger did not matter in that moment – it was the wrath of Lord Baphomet that we feared. Humanity, having fled from their planet, would be harder to track down and destroy. The possible delays in our mission were unacceptably large. A few minutes afterwards, an apparition of our Master appeared beside us – an ethereal image that emanated anger and hatred. The Thirteen had failed, and we were to learn our fates...

* * *

I will not tell you about what was shouted at us, and what heavy words of reprimand we received. It was the result of the shouting that mattered. The failure had enraged our Master to the point where He decided to take personal control of the city and personally direct the war effort, in order the crush the “insolent mortal” – you. My brothers were ordered to retreat to minor demonic outposts and keep watch over them. I was given a different assignment – perhaps my efforts in that city had succeeded in easing my Master’s wrath. I was to return to Hell and manage the restoration of a few installations in Inferno. Baphomet had decided that the Pandemonium and the House of Pain would have to be the first sites to rebuild, as they were necessary in this crisis. Though I was not sure whether I could look upon the ruins of my home once again, I had no choice.

Baphomet took full control over the city. It was him who would try to hunt you down and put an end to your crusade. My brothers went away to places I did not know. I was sent to one of the towers of the Unholy Cathedral – the one that was not damaged by your rampage through our temple. Through messengers and apparitions, I gave directions, advice, and encouragements to the demonic workers who made efforts to repair and reactivate the facilities. I made thorough plans for each of the teams of workers and sent them to them. I had to wait for many hours before any results could be achieved. I had nothing else to do. My minions were working carefully according to the plans, and Lord Baphomet could not observe me because He was entirely concentrated on the task of controlling the whole city. I was alone and out of the reach of any external authority. The moment was perfect for me to do things I had planned but did not have the time to do.

As I sat on the cold floor, an image came to mind once again – a dark tower of iron, rising above the dead plains of bones. I had plenty of time. No one would find out. I could go there, just as I promised myself... I would discover the secrets of that enigmatic place and sate my burning curiosity.

I stood up and summoned a Gate. Inside its burning frame, I beheld the forest of bone and the lone dark spire that rose in its center, emanating menace just as before... I hesitated for a moment, looking through the Gate.

Then I stepped through.


	21. TOWER

###  **CHAPTER XXI: TOWER**

The feeling of menace that emanated from the tower was stronger than anything I had ever felt before. I had no doubt that only Lord Baphomet could have cast such a powerful and intricate spell, apparently with the purpose of protecting something of special value. As I tried to expand my senses, I felt that there were other spells interwoven within the very material that was used to build the edifice – a powerful spell of fortification had been cast, and it increased the strength and durability of the iron, to the point at which it was nearly indestructible. Other spells served as shields against any kinds of observation or teleportation spells that an intruder could use. I thought that there would be quite a few traps within the structure, so I reached out with my senses once again. I was right – if every single trap could be a small light, the tower would be lit like a burning tree. Traps, curses, charms of confusion and weakening – the whole place was charged with deadly devices and spells that would destroy anyone who entered it.

I walked around the edifice, thinking. A common demon would be dead within minutes inside this cursed tower. I was far more powerful than most of Hell’s denizens, yet I felt that the tower’s top floors contained traps powerful enough to hurt even a Gatekeeper. A combination of a few spells of warding that I knew, would allow me to enter the tower without being detected by most of these traps – a kind of useful invisibility. I hoped that such a combination would be stable enough not to dissipate under the influence of the flows of arcane power that permeated the building. I concentrated so that I could shake the overwhelming feeling of menace from my mind and approached the heavy iron door. None of the numerous traps around it was activated and I pushed it lightly. It was unlocked and opened slowly to reveal a short dark corridor...

* * *

I entered and closed the door behind me. It was perfectly quiet inside – and the air was completely still. The corridor’s walls were ornamented with images of great battles I knew nothing about. Creatures of many shapes and structures clashed upon weird–looking battlefields under skies and suns I had never seen. As I walked forward, I felt the magical flows of traps like light touches upon my skin – my combination of spells worked perfectly and no one would know I was inside. The corridor ended in a small room with an altar in its center. Torches on the wooden walls gave the whole scene an eerie atmosphere. There was nothing on the altar; the five black candles by its sides were not lit. I had decided not to touch anything inside and therefore I moved to the next chamber. I stood in an empty room with a huge image on the wall. It seemed to be a map.

Concentric circles and triangles formed a sophisticated scheme that was covered with many signs and runes I did not recognize. I looked at it more carefully, searching for patterns that would tell me what the map depicted. I concentrated on the small circles of silver that were connected with various colored lines – these markings looked somewhat familiar. I tracked the connections and the configurations; I tried to imagine them as dimensional gateways and energy channels. It made perfect sense – that was indeed a map of dimensions, and the most stable and convenient currents that could be used for opening Gates. Such a map was a valuable asset for any Gatekeeper, yet it was kept locked here, as if Baphomet was reluctant to give it to the Thirteen for some reason. A closer examination of the map revealed this reason.

Among all the silver dots that indicated Worlds, were five golden circles arranged in the shape of a pentagon in one sector of the map. These could only be the four original worlds, and some smaller fifth world that I knew nothing about. The pentagon of the Elder worlds was surrounded by a circle of power that could only mean all gateways to these worlds had been severed and blocked. I realized why Lord Baphomet would not grant us the right to use that map. Even if he created a copy without the Elder worlds, we, the Gatekeepers, would have become suspicious of the strange gap that would exist in the Multiverse. As I thought of that, I beheld a red circle among the myriad worlds. Tracing the channels of energy I found out that it represented Hell. Beside the map were written, on a golden plaque, many gateway parameters and energy variables – it appeared that someone had tried to calculate the possible points of entry into the Elder worlds, if the shield was down. I grinned – my master could keep all this for only one reason: in His quest for ultimate chaos, He would attempt to claim the original worlds and use their power to crush the rest of Existence under His heel. The conquest of the Earth and the control of its unique energy patterns was the key to the penetration of the shield.

I was truly amazed by what I had found. Going back into the room with the altar, I saw a flight of stairs going to the upper floor of the tower. Still, I wanted to know the purpose of the altar before I would go further in my exploration. The strong pain that I felt when I touched it was enough to tell me of its nature – that altar could be used to amplify any spell that would be cast near it. I realized that I did not feel the volatile power of the tower’s traps anymore – the altar had enhanced the intensity of my spells when I touched it. I did not know how long the effect would hold so I decided to hurry. As I went up the stairs, I threw one last glance at the altar – I wished to possess such an artifact... The light of candles indicated that my ascent through the dark staircase had ended. My curiosity forced me to take a look around the floor before proceeding up – I already knew that Lord Baphomet kept quite a few precious artifacts hidden within the tower.

* * *

The second floor had an oppressive atmosphere, as if the feel of menace outside had somehow managed to leak into that floor. I had the sense that distant voices were calling to me – a feeling that was very familiar... as I entered the next few rooms I already suspected what I would see – a library of souls in crystal containers. The ornamented shelves were covered with containers and their glimmering contents. I took a closer look on the specimens – those were definitely human souls, but they possessed immense magical power. This is why they were able to reach out and speak to me. I was delighted – I realized I had just met humans from the Elder worlds. Baphomet had obviously decided he would need some of humanity’s most powerful magi, and kept their souls in his private soul library within the tower. There were many rooms with crystal containers – I did not have time to count how many souls were stashed on that floor. I had to move further, where, beyond any doubt, Elder relics waited to be found.

The next floor had walls of white marble that reflected the light of braziers. A unique feeling of stillness in the air told me what that floor actually was – a mausoleum. There were several sarcophagi in the rooms – their lids were transparent, as if cut in one perfect motion from the finest crystal. Inside them, I saw the remains of human magi and of some alien creatures that I had never seen before. These remains emanated great power, and it was clear to me why Baphomet kept them in the tower. There was also the possibility that He knew them, personally. I felt awkward, looking into my Master’s past uninvited. I turned around and left the mausoleum – inside it I felt even worse than outside, where the aura of fear was.

I almost shouted with delight when I saw what the next floor was – a library! There were many tomes that I did not know and would have loved to read. There were enough materials to keep me occupied for a century... Knowing that I only had little time, I decided to only look at one book – one of the few that I could decipher. A big book with bronze-encased covers caught my attention – _“Of Elder Demesne and Eternal Secrets of Old.”_ A tome about the Elder world – I could not resist the temptation...

As I read the tome, I found out many things I did not know before. I also discovered that much of my older knowledge was not accurate. It was stated that after the original worlds were created, the Deities retreated beyond the boundaries of the Universe, yet retained contact with humanity, so that they could manipulate it. Humanity was left to live in a world the book depicted as “realm of forefathers” or “Elder World.” Humanity lived there, possessing moderate magic abilities, ruled by the Disciples. The Disciples were humans, chosen by the Deities to be the mediator between them and humanity – they were the true magi of great power. Their headquarters was an enormous azure palace, where they communed with the Deities and received their orders. That palace stood in the center of a temple city, Disciples–only territory that could only be entered through a stout guard tower, mentioned as “the fetid tower of despair.” The palaces and administrative buildings of that temple city represented the total and merciless control over humanity and its fate. The Elder world grew rich and powerful... but success inevitably brought with it decadence and corruption. The cities, palaces and temples of that realm were depicted as “monuments to the eternal glory and human achievement” – and it was highly possible that much of them remained intact and could be explored if that shield was down.

There were other worlds as well: a world where the magic humans are best attuned for is concentrated – referred to as “realm of earth magic” or “demesne of the doomed.” That world was inhabited by very few chosen wizards, non–Disciples. They were to safeguard the flows of human magical power and delve deep into the secrets of the mystic arts. A rune of great power was kept there, under the vigilance of an ancient being. They convened regularly in a mansion called “the gloom keep” and discussed their secret studies, and sometimes, even plans of loosening the Disciples’ grip on their brethren. They were not interested in exploring their dimension and no one knows what its mountains, plains, or seas have to offer... There was also the Netherworld – where all who died went. That realm had been ruled by a creature that was referred to as the “Angel of Death.” Could it be that same demon that resided within the lower catacombs of Hell? Its fiery pits and dark temples were mentioned, yet not thoroughly depicted because “none of the living may lay eyes upon the wonders of the dead’s domain.”

Finally, there was a world of calculating evil, a domain known as the “demesne of black magic.” That world was the sanctuary of renegade magi who delved into the dark arts of necromancy and witchcraft. These renegades created a society of their own, ruled by a council of the five chosen most powerful dark magi. The foul council extended its power from a place called “the wizard’s manse” – a small palace where the five conducted their darkest experiments and controlled their brethren. Though considered renegades and heretics, these black magi were fulfilling the will of the Deities in some cryptic way, and were a part of the greater mechanism for control over humanity... Their shadowy and humid world was mostly unexplored as the wizards preferred to remain in their castles and laboratories. A rune of dark power was kept in a secret place, along with the council’s burial grounds and magical library.

The book went on to depict the corruption that took over humanity, the Great Rebellion and the slaughtering of the Disciples, the wars among the dark magi that led to their fall, and the Deities’ decision to put an end to it all and seal the Elder worlds forever... It was there that the fifth world was mentioned – a small planet simply named “Quake.” It contained a huge underground cathedral, from where the other four worlds could be controlled and attuned by a Deity that had control over that small world. When the original worlds were abandoned, one of the ancient Gods was left in that world to keep watch over the runes and the forbidden realms...

I was truly amazed by what I had just read. I was sure that Lord Baphomet had desires to take possession of the Elder power and fulfill His master plan. Yet, I had little time and I decided to think about all that later – I had to check two more floors of the tower, and I knew that other amazing things were waiting for me to be discovered...

* * *

The next floor was a treasury where artifacts, undoubtedly from the Elder worlds, were kept. Of those items, I should mention a collection of magic rings, a set of four precious stones, each of them representing one of the four worlds, a set of potions with unknown effects, and a black box that contained five human skulls emanating great power. The runes on the box stated that those were the skulls of the members of the last council of the Realm of Black Magic. I was strongly tempted to take them, but I remembered my decision not to touch anything.

The last floor contained the greatest treasure of all – something that left an everlasting impression on me, and possibly change my fate.

A small antechamber led me into a chandelier-lit hall that only housed four orbs of energy gently floating in the air. I stepped closer – these were modified Observation Orbs of great power and they showed images from extremely distant places. It was then that I realized the altar on the first floor was set to be exactly within the tower’s center, thus empowering these observation orbs. I could not imagine what forgotten locations they could penetrate and display, amplified by the altar’s influence. With their specially altered configurations, those orbs could peer beyond even the strongest magical barriers. Each of them showed an entirely different room at unknown scenes. In each room, I beheld a glowing rune.

I realized that I was looking at the Runes of the Elder worlds!

I knelt on the floor, struck with awe. On the top floor of his secret tower, Baphomet kept the greatest treasure of all – specially prepared “windows” that allowed Him to watch the eternal Runes whenever he wanted to! The opportunity was unique – I stepped closer and took a look.

The first orb showed a small balcony over a large pool of lava surrounded by columns and the stone walls of an unknown building. Above the pool hung a strange device, and on the other side was a sealed shaft. On the balcony rested a rune – so simple, I could hardly recognize it, emanating untold power that felt similar to the primal energies I had felt on Earth.

The second orb showed an underground chamber lit by several torches. On an altar of iron, I saw another rune, and it was surrounded by an aura of darkness and malignant evil that could only be the power of black magic. The power felt so sweet and seductive that I understood the reason it was coveted so jealously by the dark magi. Danger I felt about this rune – it was a vessel of power and elusive loss of control...

A bridge over a pit of lava surrounded by smoldering sepulchers led to a small platform where I beheld another rune. The third orb showed me the Netherworld and its rune that emanated power very close and familiar to me – power of the dead and pure chaos. Chaos was the very essence of Hell, and that rune would be a valuable asset for my demonic realm.

The last orb displayed an azure hall, lit by glowing crystal globes. On a dais of sapphire lay the most powerful rune of all – the one that held the energy of the Deities and the power that they had bestowed upon their Disciples. I felt the enormous might that the room exuded – I had no doubts that I saw a room of the azure palace mentioned in the book.

* * *

Time was running out and I had to go hurry. I threw one last glance at the runes and hurried down the stairs. In my haste, I nearly disrupted my combination of protective spells but I was able to restore it before any trap could detect me. I went out of the tower, the aura of menace made me look around me in panic, as if someone had just caught me red-handed. There was no one around and I sighed in relief. I quickly opened a Gate and returned to the Unholy Cathedral. I had to wait for a report from my minions to come and check the information that came in during my absence. But my mind was elsewhere – I could not shake the image of the runes out of my mind. I could not forget the mighty artifacts that I had found. I could not stop thinking about what I had learned – things that made me think of a bold plan...

A plan to finally destroy you, marine.


	22. STRATEGY

###  **CHAPTER XXII: STRATEGY**

I went out on a balcony that was still intact after your assault against the Unholy Cathedral... I gazed upon the shining falls of lava and blood, the smoldering plains where the damned roamed, and the imposing cliffs that rose above it all, separating the continent into two. The burning vista of Hell was magnificent just as before when I did not have such problems on my mind. For the first time in my long life, I was losing my confidence in Hell’s inevitable triumph over all creation. The thought that a mere mortal had this demoralizing effect infuriated me. Yet, I calmed down quickly, knowing that it was sober thinking and cunning that could destroy you. For me, it was obvious that you were the unique phenomenon of destiny’s path, created millennia ago by the curse of the last of humanity in its purest form. Changing the map of destiny was beyond the power of any Gatekeeper – even a Deity such as Baphomet could not even think of altering the ever–swirling streams of fate and balance. Still, there was a force in the universe that could breach the established scheme and accomplish the purposes of those who would wield it...

Changing destiny could only be done through the very same power that was used to weave fate’s elusive streams – the Elder Runes. I was convinced that claiming the runes would give me the power to change the very course of fate and ultimately destroy you, returning the scales to their initial position. The task that I had to accomplish was the claiming of these ancient artifacts that inevitably involved the breaching of the protective shield that kept the Elder Worlds locked for all eternity. How could I devise a spell that could penetrate such a barrier and grant me passage beyond the boundaries of the known Universe? The way I imagined it, I would need a way to puncture the surface of the barrier and then use a force to corrupt the internal fabric of the shield. What could I use as the components for such a manipulation?

First, I would need a tri-polarized spell of teleportation – something that was beyond my power. I could use some of the claimed human technologies – one of their crude but easy to fine tune gates, a quantum accelerator of some kind or any generator of volatile force fields. As for a force that could disrupt the powerful esoteric flows of energy that the shield was reinforced with... I would need a great destructive force – not just any force, the way you know it, human, not a force that inflicted destruction in the physical world, while also fragmenting the very fabric of reality. Something that could be kept stable long enough to do its job. Something that went beyond the limitations of the physical variables of...

A Void Sphere!

That was exactly what I needed. Seconds after this thought came to me, I almost fell on the floor shaking. It was uneasy to even think of Void Spheres. I could hardly imagine using one of them, let alone think about working on it and combining it with other spells or devices. Perhaps the time has come human, to tell you about what the Spheres were and why Gatekeepers were so afraid of them.

* * *

As its name implies, a Void Sphere creates emptiness, nothingness. When activated, it instantly corrupts and _completely_ dissolves the very fabric of Time and Space in its area of effect, leaving _absolute_ annihilation in its wake. The unfathomable void that it opens does not contain anything, not even reality itself – it is like a gaping wound in the Universe. You know well, that the physical world cannot contain voids – the hole created by a Void Sphere is quickly filled in, and it is then that terrible destruction takes place. The absolute emptiness causes an implosion of a magnitude that a human cannot even conceive. Let me use an example – a spherical void with a diameter of one meter, causes destruction in a radius of, the way I understand human measures, at least two miles. Yes – a little larger void is capable of demolishing entire planets within seconds! But I have not yet told you why Gatekeepers are so afraid of those artifacts.

We, Gatekeepers, are invariably bound to the streams of reality and the fabric of Time and Space, thus being able to open Gates and wield the power of summoning. Void Spheres are able to annihilate the reality we are connected with, thus inflicting heavy indirect damage on us, as we are suddenly drained of power. What is the feeling? In such situations a Gatekeeper feels exactly like you, human, would feel when you suffer from severe blood loss, for Time and Space are Gatekeepers’ lifeblood and driving force. The pain we feel is unlike anything you have ever felt. Therefore, we resent the usage of these artifacts and hope that it would never be necessary to resort to such extreme measures... Yet, the situation with you was desperate and I was willing to use anything that could allow me to achieve my goal. If I had to suffer in order to obtain the Runes, I was ready to endure it.

The last problem was that I could not think of a way to tell my Lord, Baphomet, about my plan without exposing that I knew too much about the Elder Worlds, which would inevitably reveal my unauthorized visit to the Tower. The only strategy I could think of was to wait and hope that Baphomet, a Deity with immense power, would crush you and make the stealing of the runes unnecessary. Planning was essential for survival in the dark situation I had found myself in.

I was curious about the current situation in the city – with a negligent gesture I summoned an observation orb and tried to adjust it carefully. I saw the city and columns of smoke rising above it. The decrepit canned meat factory at the end of the town, which was used by you as an entrance to the city, was burning, as were the Inmost Dens. A battle was going on in the suburbs. I knew you were puzzled by the situation you were in – trapped within the walls that we had erected around the suburban sectors. One of the special reinforcements had already teleported in and they were fighting you, inflicting heavy damage on the buildings. I had serious doubts whether they would succeed. I thought that for you to reach the suburbs, you must have passed through the industrial zone. Indeed, a Hell Knight I secretly contacted told me that you ruined much of the facilities in that area and was lured into the Nazi’s castle. There, you wiped them out and returned to the city after destroying their inner sanctum, where the “special relics” were. These wretched humans could not stop you, yet you saved us some effort by killing all of them.

I knew what Baphomet’s course of action would be – throw as many minions as possible against you, and, should they fail, lure you into his dark palace where you would undoubtedly meet your doom. I knew I would enjoy watching my Master showing you whole new dimensions of pain. I had hoped that Baphomet could possess the power to override the shackles of destiny and defeat you for good, removing the last barrier to the conquest of Earth that was already deserted by your brethren. Baphomet’s strategy would be to make sure you found your way into the palace of the Icon of Sin. And then... your victorious march would be broken as overwhelming legions of the endless servants of Baphomet drowned you in flesh, fire and fury.

I grinned and the light of the lava pits near the Cathedral gave my fangs an eerie glow. Far beyond the thick clouds of smoke of burned flesh and sulphur, I beheld the great Mountains of No Return – standing proud and solid, just as my confidence was restored and was solid once again. It was at that moment that my minions came and reported that the House of Pain and the Hell Keep were repaired and restored to satisfactory condition, as best as it was possible on such short notice. I praised them for the good work and let them have rest for some time – a valuable reward in that time of war.

* * *

I decided to establish my command center in the Hell Keep and watch over you and Baphomet’s plan of decimating you. The Hell Keep had always been overlooked, standing in the shadow of the famous Pandemonium. I had the opportunity to spend quite some time there and explore it. Its most impressive feature was the mystic Chamber of Records, where the exact record of Hell’s damned inhabitants was kept. The keep was also the guardian at the entrance of Inferno and its eternal vigil ensured that no one entered the continent uninvited. Except maybe in your case... The keep’s tower provided me with a perfect spot to watch over Inferno and deploy the observation orbs that would allow me to peer into any other place I wished. Again, I sat on my throne and waited to see what would happen and how my Master would bring the war to its end, claiming the Earth for all eternity.

The hours passed slowly, no one contacted me. I spent the time looking through some old records that depicted one of Hell’s great wars against some alien civilization – a civilization that existed no more after being consumed by our infernal power. Memories of glory and triumph came to me, and further kindled my hatred towards the mortal marine that dared challenge us. My determination to see you dead was stronger than any determination of destiny that could protect you. I still could not believe that a frail creature with a ridiculously short life, like you, could defeat some of the infernal legions’ mightiest generals in battle and survive after the most insidious machinations that Hell employed to kill you. Going back to my early days, I remembered the inherent weakness and clumsiness of humans that was always an asset for us... Did I have the courage to stand against destiny itself? Did I have the strength to accomplish what I had planned? Would all that I have fought for survive?

My thoughts were interrupted by a ghostly image that appeared beside me with a silent crackling sound. Lord Baphomet had news for me. I knew what was going on even before He said a word – I had already felt a familiar presence that was somewhere beyond the mountains that separated the continent. You had passed through the Gate in the city and were in Hell once again – somewhere within the antechamber of the infernal plains, the place known as the “Nirvana”. Baphomet’s plan of throwing everything, in order to weaken you before the encounter within His palace, was already in motion. The problematic human was on his way to meet the One who could change destiny and bring balance back to the scheme.

The last act of this tragedy had begun, and the victor could only be one.


	23. APPROACH

###  **CHAPTER XXIII: APPROACH**

The constant screams of the burning souls, mixed with the roar from the rivers of lava and blood, created a vile cacophony that dominated the smoldering landscape of Hell and its darkest pits. Somewhere within that chaos, a lone human being fought his way through the legions of the damned, having no idea where he was going, or even why he went there... I stared at the mountain, wondering whether there was anything that I could do to aid my Master. I returned to the large hall at the Hell Keep’s top and sat down on the floor. A crooked gesture and occult chanting brought into existence an observation orb that showed a panoramic view of the continent beyond the mountain. A small column of smoke rising from the catacombs caught my attention – the little human was obviously trapped within the cryptic passages of the vile sepulchers that were hidden there. Wishing you many visits by the undead that inhabited those dark tunnels, I looked at the other buildings and tried to perceive the energy channels that connected teleports within them. Lord Baphomet had set up an elaborate network with the purpose of taking you through the most dangerous places, ultimately trapping you within His own palace.

I was curious where your perilous journey would take you. The Abandoned Mines, the Monster Condo and the Chasm were some of the areas that awaited you. I had some worries about the damage you could inflict on these glorious edifices of Hell, yet I had faith in my Lord and the grim determination to offer any assistance, if needed. Nothing could be sweeter for an enraged demon than long-awaited vengeance. I hoped my Master would allow me to add your corpse in my personal collection of trophies, and I was sure that it would be my most prized possession.

As the time was not right for pointless distractions, I decided to bide my time making some preparations – my encounters with you, human, had already taught me a harsh lesson. Always concerned with strategy and cunning moves against Hell’s enemies, I planned to make sure that you would not survive, if somehow you tried to escape into Inferno. I gathered what troops I had left, and sent them to repair the fortifications at the edge of the Howling Gorge, where the River of Shadows made its way along the mountain, and assume positions there, waiting for further orders. I sent additional warnings to the commanders at the Monster Condo and the Spirits’ World about any tricks you could be expected to use in combat, as well as strategic advice on the utilization of your human weaknesses. I was told that Lord Baphomet had cleared the Great Hall in His citadel and it was prepared for your arrival. The great Demonlord was filled with burning passion and determination to punish the mortal who dared challenge Him. Once again, I thought how much my Master had inspired me over the eons...

* * *

I went back to the Records Chamber in the Hell Keep, seeking to find any powerful demonic minions that could be brought to aid in your destruction. To my surprise, it seemed that there were missing specimens. I clearly remembered an encounter from the dark past of humanity – a vile Heresiarch, his loyalty to Hell reaching pure insanity. He and his armies of fallen priests, lured to his dark standard caused some quite pleasing atrocities and foul deeds on one of Earth’s continents in ages past. I was sure that his soul and those of his followers were taken into Hell as some of its most valuable possessions... Yet, I could not find any of them on the records. The same was with the ancient warlord, and his frenzied warriors who came to Hell after ages of pillaging and murders in some northern regions of your world. You know nothing about those... the amazing past of your species was hidden by many throughout your history, as the truth is very often uncomfortable.

And, indeed, very uncomfortable I felt, finding out about these anomalies. I had no idea where and why Baphomet would send such champions of Hell. Overwhelmed by curiosity, I went to the Unholy Cathedral, looking for some records of Hell’s outposts in other worlds. A dark hall, with many chests covered with dust awaited me – I rekindled the spell that would keep the braziers burning and opened some of the chests in this forgotten reliquary. Some old dark relics, scripts of arcane wisdom and maps were the dusty content I discovered. One chest held a tome that would be a reference to Hell’s outposts used by the demonic warlocks in ages long past. Everything in that book was familiar... except the reference of one outpost that was noted to be deserted, yet marked as forbidden without an explanation. I looked at the coordinates and gasped with surprise – they were not given in the runic script that Gatekeepers that we used to describe energy channels parameters and time–space variables. It was written in warlock glyphs – the signs that only they could read. I could not imagine why that outpost, small and inactive as it was, would be kept hidden from us, the Gatekeepers. I knew that Lord Baphomet’s relations with the warlocks were special – just as his relation with the Gatekeepers, yet I never suspected that they had kept secrets from the rest of the infernal minions. I read further, looking for an answer – there was a name mentioned – the “Ice Weasel.”

It sounded very familiar – Ice Weasel was the secret occult name of a great Atlantean mage, experienced in the fields of demonic and frost magic. The latter turned out to be his undoing – his experiments led to an explosion that left only a frozen corpse for his brethren to discover in his ravaged laboratory. Charged with demonic energies, he was cast down into Hell in the form of one of the most hideous creatures I had ever seen in Hell – an Ice Revenant. Glowing with an eerie blue aura and radiating an infernal chill, a skeleton comprised of sapphire and ice roamed the plains of Hell, hunting down the souls of the damned and claiming them as eternal servants. I had met the Ice Weasel on several occasions and I had the opportunity to even get a few words out of him, for the Ice Revenant was mostly silent and brooding. Seeing the reference about him, I remembered that I did not see his name in the records. He was within that mysterious outpost, and I had no doubts that the other missing specimens were there too – stashed there for some mysterious purpose...

I stood up and went out into the long corridor lined with columns and chandeliers. I was astonished – first, the Iron Tower and then a whole secret outpost! I knew that a Deity such as Baphomet had many secrets, yet I never imagined that there would ever be a day for me to feel deceived by my own brethren. I would not allow emotion to interfere with my work, especially in that moment when you were on your approach towards the Icon of Sin. I was sure that you would very soon be there.

* * *

I returned to the Hell Keep and waited – the moment of Destiny’s turning was close and I wanted to be prepared. There was a possibility that my Lord would break the millennia–old laws and ask us, Gatekeepers, for aid – then we would come in the heat of battle and crush you with our tremendous power. I wanted that moment so much – the moment of the personal encounter... I prepared myself – I chose the spells I would use against you, I put on a physical form of a minotaur–like creature that would allow me to don my burning armor and runic axe that I yearned to use in the dismemberment of your mortal body. I was informed that the other twelve were already in Hell and ready for battle. With a loud roar, I went out on the platform and waited for the signal.

I was not allowed to interfere in the battle directly, yet the Thirteen had to be close to it, as we would not be able to open Gates inside it, once Baphomet assumes His summoning position. I could imagine the way the whole citadel would tremble as Deity and Destiny–led man fought for the ultimate victory. That fight would change Earth’s or Hell’s fate forever. Everything was at stake; the circle that had begun in the Elder worlds would either be complete or broken forever.

The signal came. A lone human fought against the Cyberdemon who guarded the entrance to Baphomet’s citadel. The guardian was losing, and the human – you, my unexpected listener, would enter the throne chamber soon... The Thirteen assumed position within the towers of the citadel and kept watch over the arena of that last fight. The green–clad figure passed through the chamber where gifts of great power were left by demons that had been granted audience with the Demonlord. As you enter the portal, you were quite surprised to find yourself in an enormous hall, standing before a visage that chilled you to the bone...

Baphomet grinned and greeted His enemy with the ancient Formula of Challenge of the Old Gods: _Oremor nhoj em llik tsum uoy emag eht niw ot._


	24. BATTLE

###  **CHAPTER XXIV: BATTLE**

The rocket flew through the smoke and destroyed the pillars beneath the platform. Unable to support the Arachnotron’s weight, it collapsed and fell into the pool of hot mud that was already filled with debris. A Baron of Hell roared in anger as he saw the small human figure run by and jump up to a higher section of the damaged platform. The chaos of the fierce battle that had broken out in the great hall was deafened by Baphomet’s maddening laughter. Before the human figure could take cover, five new demons had already joined the combat.

You, marine, do not know how that battle looked like from my point of view – it looked like a rather amusing hunt that posed one frail human against an unlimited number of Hell’s strongest minions. Watching the destruction unleashed I tried to estimate the extent of destruction that the palace would sustain. The good thing was that once you were dead, the demonic servitors would be quite motivated to make all necessary repairs throughout the damaged facilities of Hell. Oh, I longed for the moment when you would finally fall and allow us to finish what had been started so long ago! I was overjoyed to see you overwhelmed by the endless infernal hordes as they came summoned by their Master. I wanted to take part in the battle so much, yet I felt that access for us was blocked by my Lord’s magic.

The hall was filled with smoke; the hanging darkness was interrupted by frequent explosions and discharges of plasma. It was a matter of time before you would run out of ammo and succumb to the swarms that hunted you relentlessly. Many demons had already fallen but there were hundreds that would come to replace them. It seemed that you had realized that because you tried to find a way out of your desperate situation, a last attempt to outrun the inevitable. The battle seemed to go so well and according to our desires... and then something happened.

* * *

Destiny is cruel, and apparently, it had decided that we would fail again! I do not know what force attracted you to the alcove where the control panel used by the palace majordomo was located. Desperately seeking salvation, you pulled that switch and activated the mechanism that raised the focal pillar used for special acts of summoning. At first I did not think that would change anything at all, but shortly afterwards dark suspicions filled my mind. Baphomet had assumed the summoning position and the opened Orifice of Summoning was a potential vulnerability. The focal pillar could be used against that weakness by someone desperate enough of such an attempt. Someone like you.

It is a long way from the top platform to the mud pit, and therefore you decided to make your own shortcut by using the last charge of the BFG to melt and collapse the lower platforms, forming a quick way for you to slide down. Baphomet’s thunderous voice ordered the troops to block your path. You killed those warriors with your last chaingun bullets and the rocket launcher was the last weapon that you had available. The other damaged platforms were groaning threateningly as the Mancubi tried to move closer and shoot their fireballs at you. Relying entirely on your heavily worn out boots you trudged clumsily through the boiling slime that, by the way, was specially prepared for your arrival. Still, the boots resisted long enough for you to lower the pillar and climb on it. It was them that the tragedy truly began.

At first, I found your going up and down quite funny and helpless – the Cacodemons and Pain Elementals were already preparing to finish you off. It was then that something somehow turned your attention towards the Orifice and gave you the idea to shoot there, in the hope of inflicting damage upon the source of the endless demonic invasion. A slow movement of the hand, pulling the trigger and a missile flew right into the Orifice.

I fell to the ground as a wave of pain struck me. A powerful tremor shook the whole palace as ripples of energy were released from an unknown source. Baphomet’s laughter was replaced by a booming roar of anger and pain. The surprise and hatred that rose within my Master made him forget his intricate schemes and give the signal for the Gatekeepers to enter the hall and destroy the human. My brothers prepared to enter the chamber and then... I hesitated. I stopped in the middle of the gesture and thought: it was apparent to me that a powerful ancient force was protecting you, a force that could contend even with the might of the Elder worlds. I was not sure whether I could stand against such might, I was not sure it was right to stand against it. And I knew for sure that I was not supposed to have such thoughts.

My brothers entered the hall. Did you see them? No... I guessed so – they appeared in the rear end of the hall and you could not turn around and see them. When I saw them moving towards you, preparing spells of destruction I shook off all doubts and hesitation and stepped forward towards...

A second missile hit its target.

* * *

A powerful explosion, more powerful than anything I had ever seen or imagined echoed through the whole realm. I saw, as if in a dream, the whole palace beneath me explode into a roaring cataclysm of unleashed fury that spread throughout Hell, bringing terrible destruction upon its surface. Through the shroud of pain, I felt tidal waves of molten metal and falling meteors ravage the continents of Hell. Erupting volcanoes and tremendous quakes appeared everywhere and filled the air with thick smoke. The pain was even greater when I saw a small green human figure jump into the collapsing Gate that Baphomet had opened to summon demons from the Earth. I realized that you had escaped your doom once again and were back on Earth. Seconds after that another tremor caused a shower of burning debris to fall upon me. All faded to black...

The awakening was slow and rather painful. As I rose from the piles of deformed pieces of stone and metal, I tried to realize what had just happened. I looked around in an attempt to distinguish clear shapes. A burning crater could be seen where the Citadel of the Icon of Sin was just some moments ago. Or... how long had I remained buried under the debris? I quickly dismissed the question as there was something more disturbing than all the destruction around me.

I could not sense the presence of my Master and my brothers.

They were gone. I was all alone among the ruins of my realm and the disarrayed remnants of the infernal legions. Even though the loss was great, I could not feel anything like you humans do. My only thought was to organize the demons and bring some semblance of order. A while later, I saw several Barons running towards the site of the catastrophe. They were not pleased to find me – the only survivor of the drama that had taken place there. They wanted me to come with them and try to assume control over Hell. Control? I was struggling to stay awake!

Baphomet’s death had caused unprecedented eruptions of raw energy and chaotic power. In such a volatile storm I could not concentrate on what was going on, I could not use my powers, a cacophony of noises filled my mind. I told the Barons that I could not do anything until the energies settled. They agreed that they would need time to check the ruins and bring as many demons as possible from Earth. The thought of the Invasion’s failure did not bother me as I was overcome with exhaustion. The Barons took me to a crypt that had remained intact during the cataclysm and left me there to rest. They departed and promised that they would return when I felt better.

The following months were hard. I was told that there had been gatherings, bitter arguments, expeditions, opening of random Gates so that survivors from Earth could be evacuated, and, of course, the building of the Stronghold. The Stronghold was the gathering point for all survivors – a huge hive-like infernal fortress that was built on the relatively preserved plains of Inferno. Protected by steel walls and trenches filled with molten metal, it was the last bastion of demonic power, where every minion of Hell was ordered to come. In order to have room for all survivors, a vast network of crypts was built under the Stronghold. The Barons and Hell Knights had done an amazing job even without a leader to guide them. And when I finally awoke, there was another surprise for me.

One of my brothers was also alive.

* * *

As the vast energy disturbance had ended, we were able to assume control over the Stronghold. We both felt an emptiness inside as our Master was dead and Hell’s glory shattered forever. We had succeeded in evacuating most of our troops from Earth and there were additional encampments built near the Stronghold. All tomes and weapons that were salvageable had been gathered in the locked armory of the mighty fortress and were to be carefully examined and catalogued by us. We also wanted to make attempts to repair the Unholy Cathedral that was relatively unscathed by the catastrophe. Dis and the Hell Keep were heavily damaged by the tidal waves of the burning seas of Hell, and their reconstruction would require many years of work and resources that were not available at the time. Our scouts surveyed the ravaged smaller continents and islands and rescued many of the warlocks that pledged our loyalty to us. As things seemed to be stabilizing, it was time to decide on the future of Hell and its survivors.

My brother and I analyzed the situation. All parts of Hell, except for the central areas of Inferno, were heavily damaged and practically lost. All combat activity on Earth had been stopped and humanity had started to return to their ravaged planet. The Gateway to Hell in the city was sealed so there was no danger of human assaults against us. With the magical storms that had raged throughout the realm, it would be impossible for the humans to open one of their crude unstable Gates, and therefore Hell was safe for the time being. While it was good that we had stabilized and secured our home world, the question of its future still stood before us. I had the bad feeling that our views about it would contradict.

I felt clearly that my brother knew something that I did not. To my credit, I had knowledge of the Iron Tower, so I still had some advantage. Each of us had to share his idea with the Barons that were gathered to take part in the making of the decision. It was decided that my brother would start first.

He knew much about the secret outpost that, supposedly, was the hiding place of the Ice Weasel. He claimed that the outpost’s crypts contained great power secured there by Baphomet. That outpost was on one of the moons of the great planet just beyond Mars. The name of that moon was Io and there already was a crude human colony that was undergoing expansion. My brother planned to take over that colony and claim the power of the secret outpost. He also stated that he had a plan of quick and easy invasion that would allow us to maintain a mobile base of our own near the colony, so that the plan could be brought to fruition quickly. The key point in that plan was a demonic spaceship, an ancient vessel known as the _Evilution_ – an enormous construct built in ages long-forgotten from the magically charged stone, metal, flesh and bone that were abundant in Hell. That spaceship could surprise the humans, after a few preliminary attacks through a Gate were made for the purpose of distraction. My brother would control the ship assuming the role of its central core – a great machine able to control such a huge mechanical entity. I did not like this – I considered this to be an inferior transformation for a Gatekeeper, that we should use our pure form, entirely focused on the summoning and command of demonic troops. Yet my brother was convinced that his plan was the only way to restore Hell’s glory and bring swift revenge upon the humans.

I could not agree – that plan had too many risky points to be used with confidence. I also despised the idea of my brother becoming the heart and soul of a mechanical construct, knowing that he would possibly be doomed to stay in that inferior incarnation for all eternity, bound to control the _Evilution_ , with his summoning skills diminishing over time. I believed that my plan would be better as I had clear vision of what I wanted to achieve and what I would need to do it, while the other Gatekeeper was not completely sure about what could be found in that outpost. I stepped forth and disclosed my plan.

Everyone was quite shocked as they heard about the Iron Tower and its secrets. A quick visit to the place proved that it really existed, and I even let them take a look at the first floor. Before they could shake off the surprise, I told them what I intended: overrun a human facility where I would gain control of quantum accelerator devices and use them, in conjunction with Void spheres, to breach the Shield, claim the Elder runes, and use their power to restore Hell... and even make an attempt to bring Baphomet back to life, though He would be much weakened. I added that the runes’ power could also be used to destroy the human who was responsible for the disaster.

As my brother expressed his disapproval of my “impossible and reckless plan,” the Barons decided that it should be us, the Gatekeepers that would decide what should be done. We quarreled for a long time. None of us was willing to give ground and accept the other’s position. We knew that we could not allow dissension among the denizens of Hell and only one strategy had to be followed. We did not reach agreement.

* * *

The Barons frowned and discussed something in private. They called the warlocks and disputed something with them as well. Finally, the elder warlock came to us and stated that the current situation could only be resolved with the elimination of one of the rivaling points of view. A ritual combat would be held and the one of us who survived it would become the new ruler of Hell and carry on his plan for restoring its lost glory.

I sighed – I had never imagined that I would one day have to participate in a deadly ritual duel with one of my brothers. The warlocks announced the time of the battle and there was no way I could refuse it without losing my honor and being banished from Hell forever. The time was desperate and desperate measures had to be taken. I had to win the fight.

To do this, I had to kill my brother.


	25. REIGN

###  **CHAPTER XXV: REIGN**

There were no rules in the battle that would determine the next ruler of Hell. Inferno was the arena – the vast smoldering plains and the shattered shores. The fight would continue until the death of one of the combatants. The winner took all.

I looked around the dark chamber where I prepared myself, thinking about the possible advantages that I would have against my brother. I knew that he was not very familiar with Inferno and its peculiarities, while I had spent quite some time throughout the hidden corners of the continent. I also knew that my brother had no knowledge of the spells that I had brought with me from my visits on Earth. I decided that it would be wise to rely on surprises and cunning, as we had almost equal powers. My determination and wrath that had accumulated for so long would have to be enough to fuel my destructive power and crush my opponent. What I needed was good concentration and confidence. With such allies, I could win any fight.

For a moment, I thought about all the events that brought me to that point. Everything had changed so fast and so fundamentally. What was wrong with this world, what was going to happen in the shadowed future?

* * *

I went out and headed towards the place where the combat would begin – between the House of Pain and Mount Erebus, an area of hills covered by protruding bone ribs and other bone fragments that were left there after some ancient cataclysm. I saw no one – all demons had hidden within the Stronghold and its crypts. He was waiting for me there, eyes burning and teeth bared. I stopped and looked at him.

_How did it come to this, brother?_

_It does not matter. Destiny is to unfold shortly._

_You know nothing of Destiny! But I believe I can teach you a lesson!..._

Before I could finish, a bolt of blazing energy flew towards me. I evaded it with ease, surprised that he would start with something so weak. It was a trick – I quickly hid behind one of the ribs that were rooted in the ground as a fiery eruption appeared in the place where I stood seconds before that. I formed two balls of energy in my hands and threw them in the direction I expected him to be. There were explosions and pieces of bone rained on me. Seconds later, balls of fire were raining from the sky, as my opponent used a spell of mass destruction to wear me down. I stepped out of the bone field and assumed position among the scorched lands around the damaged House of Pain. He followed me, thinking that I was scared. The roaring waves of flame that I sent towards him proved him wrong. I levitated above the blasted lands and cast bolts of lightning down upon him. He reacted quickly and teleported somewhere else, immediately followed by me.

He tried to escape into the Unholy Cathedral but I followed the trail of his Gate. I chased him down a corridor in the ancient edifice, lined with a colonnade and stained glass windows. I tried to be precise and hit him with a lightning while he used orbs of explosive energy. I ran after him, among a rain of broken glass and falling columns. My adversary showed good imagination by lifting a statue of a Hell Knight and throwing it at me. The sharp pain in my left arm, which was hit by the statue, did not stop me from collapsing the support pillars and bringing the roof down upon him. Injured to a sufficient extent, he retreated to a long great hall that was filled with abandoned altars and unlit chandeliers. My brother tried to use a similar trick by ripping the tiles from the floor and throwing them at me. He was too slow. A movement of my finger was enough to light the braziers and candles throughout the room. My next gesture caused their fires to grow and coalesce into a fierce storm of fire that incinerated the whole room.

Realizing that it was too dangerous for him to remain there, he ran outside the Cathedral, heading towards a great river of blood that flowed nearby. He tried to use the old trick with the fiery eruptions but I was too quick to be caught in any of them. Another bombardment with fireballs from the sky annoyed me – I called forth my burning wrath, making the blood river boil violently, spilling hot waves over the shore. Desperate, he looked up towards the fortification on the side of the mountain and teleported there. I followed – we were not allowed to go beyond the boundaries of the continent, but we could still fight on the mountainside. Without having any time to rest, I entered combat once again.

It must have been quite a show for the other demons in the Stronghold to watch, as we fought among the fortifications causing explosions and discharges of raw fury. It was there, on the mountainside that he almost won a few times, catching me unprepared with spells of Steel Death. The many sharp blades that he summoned injured me severely and I had to use some of my remaining energy for a healing spell. I responded to the waves of Steel Death with a protective barrier that turned the blades away. Not knowing what to do, he summoned a small fire elemental and ran towards a tower up ahead. He obviously wanted to slow me down – it was very easy to sever the powers that held the elemental into existence and allow it to dissipate. Immediately afterwards, I decided that it would be a waste of time to follow him and therefore I simply summoned a small meteorite that crashed into the tower. From the ruins, my brother came out a bit stunned but willing to go on. I used the opportunity to apply his own favorite trick – I called a fiery eruption from underground that shrouded him in thick smoke.

The smoke did not allow me to see that he quickly opened a Gate and escaped to the Slough of Despair. Slightly irritated with the prolonged chase, I followed. The Slough was dark place, filled with many large slabs of stone and pits of murky slime. It was here that I used my advantage of knowing Inferno very well – I only had to feel where the souls of the slothful and the desperate were at unrest. I felt that spot and I was sure my opponent was there. I decided to use some finesse and unorthodox methods to get him – the impaled human bodies all over the place were the perfect tools. A few well placed magical words, and the corpses came to life, getting off the poles and attacking my brother with their envenomed nails and teeth. My opponent was distracted by the unexpected undead attack and I was able to unleash a volley of molten metal projectiles upon him. Seeing his cape burning reassured me and I launched another spell that caused enormous bone spines to erupt from the ground, trying to impale my target. He swiftly jumped behind a pile of charred rocks and disappeared.

The battle went on, among the rocks that covered the coast of the molten seas of Hell. Each of us used telekinesis and sudden shifts in gravity, attempting to throw the other into the roaring waves of magma that formed a vast ocean. One such shift almost pushed me over the edge, and I responded with rocks that were lifted from the barren shore. Several blinding rays of heat made me retreat, only to prepare and concentrate myself. Telekinesis requires good concentration, and at that moment, I had the perfect opportunity to seize him, and quickly throw him over the smoldering surface of the sea. While falling, he could somehow overcome the dizziness and conjure a spell that quickly opened a small portal.

I frowned when I saw that he had managed to escape again. I followed him to the rocky wasteland where he was – the cliffs near a great chasm, close to the warrens. There we went into a skirmish of fireballs, lightning bolts, and quakes that shattered the rock beneath our feet. You little curious human probably realize that I cannot tell you absolutely everything – suffice it to say that because of our fight, a rather huge section of the cliffs collapsed down into the molten ocean below. Fighting in the open was dangerous and I retreated into the Warrens – I knew the place well, while he had only visited it once in his life. This is what I counted on.

It was cold and quiet – the Warrens were a place of anomalies, warped by the raging souls of the insane. I slowly walked between two trees that hung in the air, upside down. I could not see well because of the shadows and light flashes that were changing rapidly, and the small chaotic discharges that were typical for this place. I felt his presence somewhere within the insane chaos of the edifice – trying to figure out which path to take. The strange thing about the warrens was that, very often, taking a path would return you to the same place you were or get you to an entirely different area – to the Monster Condo, for example. I passed through a yard that perfectly imitated its counterpart in the Hell Keep – the maddened souls had rather strong first impressions from the Keep as they entered Hell.

I heard a footstep – somewhere beyond the hall with the piles of skulls. I moved there and found myself in a maze – somewhere within it, my brother was looking for me. With a twisted smile, I remembered one of the peculiarities of the Warrens. I raised my hand and gently increased the intensity of the magical field in the room. Immediately, the walls of the labyrinth disappeared and I saw my brother in the center of empty room, looking panicked with surprise. The flame wave that I released drove him into retreat through a corridor. I smiled again and abruptly reversed the polarity of the magical field – the corridor turned into a gaping chasm and my brother fell down into a pit, its bottom covered with long sharp spikes. He could not open a Gate in time and fell right onto the deadly trap below...

I was not in a hurry to get down to him. I carefully chose my way through the warrens, passing through something that looked like a messy armory – a distorted reflection of the Hell Keep armory. From there I picked a glowing demonic sword and went down the stairs that led to the spike pit. He was there – looking at me with immense hatred and, at the same time, with pride about what I had just achieved, as well as, perhaps... a hint of pity? I bowed to him and he bowed in response, at least he tried to, considering his grave injuries... I must admit that he fought valiantly and brought great honor and glory to the name of the Gatekeepers. As I solemnly promised that I would not fail Hell and vengeance would fall upon those who had brought us ruin, I lifted the sword and approached him.

_I am sorry, brother._

* * *

I went out of the Warrens, feeling both victorious and devastated in the same time. For a moment, I tried to imagine what it would have been if he had succeeded and tried to use that forsaken spaceship to awaken whatever was hidden on Io. But that was not important – I saw the group of warlocks and Barons that were quickly approaching me. They arrived and knelt before me, proclaiming me the new Lord of Hell and absolute ruler of the realm. Following the ancient formula, I replied that they were worthy to be my servants and were thereby given the privilege to worship and follow me until the end of my reign whenever it might be. As we walked back to the Stronghold, I saw the armies of Arachnotrons and their Spider Masterminds standing on the fields of Inferno, greeting me with my victory and ascent on the throne. The loud roars that came out from the Stronghold assured me that there would be a grand celebration... And indeed, there was.

When all demons had gathered within the fortress and on the vast fields around it, I got upon the dais of black marble and spoke to all who were there to hear me. I remember it as clearly as it was yesterday, and I will repeat what I said, specially for you, little human...

“Children of the burning pit, I stand before you in a time, when our glory and pride was crushed by our most hated enemies. I am here in a time when a trembling mortal, through deceit and outright trickery that only a coward without honor could resort to, wounded us severely. I stand here as an avatar of Hell’s apocalyptic wrath that will drown our enemies and restore our pride as was foretold. Who are they who foolishly resisted our will? The humans! Who are they who sought to halt the triumph of our forces? The humans! Who are they who mocked us and defeated our glorious leader, the eternal Lord Baphomet? The humans! They, and that reckless man, who, in his arrogance, dared bring his foul mortal ways and disrupt the destiny that was promised to us! Here and now, I vow: the humans will pay for their sacrilege, they will witness their home ruined just as they ruined ours, they will see their future shattered just as they shattered ours, their suffering will be our legacy as we put an end to them forever and claim dominion over Existence itself, which is our birthright! We shall prevail!”

The loud roars and screams that echoed throughout the Stronghold were the ultimate confirmation of my absolute power. I raised my hands as a chorus of Lost Souls rose in the burning skies, singing anthems of vengeance and bloodshed.

My reign had begun. And so had the last chapter of this dark story.


	26. DESTINY

###  **CHAPTER XXVI: DESTINY**

What is it that bothers you, little human? The cold? Yes, it is cold in this place – I need energy to keep myself conscious and alive long enough to tell you all that I wanted you to know, and I am absorbing all energy from the surrounding area. As a last desperate measure, I absorbed even the heat in this place where we are right now, and it is becoming colder as the last reserves diminish. Time is running out, there is one last thing I must tell you – I hope my remaining strength will suffice. The last chapter of this story is an episode you know very well, as it unfolded just a few hours ago. I will only give you my view of the events, just as I did in my tale so far...

For many months, I worked only on the restoration of Hell and the rebuilding of Inferno – all of its buildings were nearly rebuilt to their former glory, demons inhabited them once again, and I ruled over the continent from the restored palace of Dis. Neither I, nor any of my lieutenants cared about what was happening on Earth during this time, as we had more important tasks to accomplish in our own realm. All this ended when I felt the disturbance... The Temple of Darkness had been discovered and the humans had begun excavations and research. They had also built a huge scientific complex, where technologies aimed at the prevention of invasions from Hell were developed. As they conducted their experiments, I could clearly feel what they were working on – quantum accelerators. That fact quickly brought my old ideas back to life after their long sleep in the darkest recesses of my mind. I knew the pitiful mortals would not be able to reach the Void Spheres, but I could. At last, I had the opportunity to accomplish my bold schemes.

I spent a few days secluded in the Iron Tower, thinking and planning. I had to take into account the technology that the humans were creating and the possible complications that it could create. I needed to perform a test as soon as possible. It was not long before a small assault force was formed under the command of a Cyberdemon. After many months, I called upon the power that was my birthright and opened a Gate in the very heart of the complex. My warriors charged through, filled with bitter hatred and lust for the blood of humans. The quantum accelerator prototypes were activated...

I was truly amazed – I felt the machine’s effect as it frayed and dislocated the ethereal strands that kept the Gate together. It started to collapse and I had to intervene, in order to prevent a possible explosion, by balancing the energy flows. There were well–prepared marines in that complex – they halted the advance of my troops, even though they sustained heavy casualties. The Cyberdemon had to turn the fight in our favor... and then the Gate buckled upon itself and collapsed with a loud hissing sound. Halfway through, the Cyberdemon was cut in two. Shortly after, my remaining troops, cut off from their escape route, were defeated. I had a clear idea of the accelerator’s capabilities and I was pleased because I was sure that the devices the humans had built were very powerful, precise, fast, and worked without any faults. They were perfect for my attempts to breach the barrier of the Elder Worlds. Once it was cracked, the Void Sphere’s power would do its destructive job. The last thing I had to consider was the way I would conquer the research complex. I also thought for a moment about the possible appearance of the cursed marine, and I was right as you truly appeared. I was not afraid of that probability – meeting you was no longer a part of any conquest plan. It was personal.

* * *

No human can truly comprehend the work that it takes to concoct and cast a spell. Every ingredient, be it a rune, an orb, a tome, potion, or a body part, has to be chosen carefully and used in proportions that would achieve the best balance between all components. The spell I worked on was a very powerful and heavy to maintain system – a ring of seven Gates that had to be opened in precisely picked places and maintained long enough against the power of the accelerators – at least one of them had to remain open until the end. I hand-picked my best demons to participate in the massive invasion that was to take place. Once the compound was overrun, I could bring reinforcements from Hell. With a successful attack accomplished, I would assume my position, using the pure Gatekeeper summoning incarnation, at a Gate of my choice and perform my experiments near it. The other prototypes would be set in special places throughout the base – places that would serve as traps, should you, or a troublemaking human like you, appear. I had some hopes that, with the destruction of Baphomet, the mystic force that was protecting you was finally gone, and you could be destroyed...

The chosen day came. I was prepared to begin my last battle.

I sat within my ritual circle and concentrated – I had to resist the accelerators’ power long enough for my legions to get through. I rekindled the thoughts of revenge in my mind and launched the invasion – the ring of seven Gates opened and my minions poured through like a tidal wave of hellfire. The ferocious battle that ensued was memorable – the greatest challenge that I had ever had as a field commander. The good thing was that the humans focused their attention on the Gates that were within the central scientific compounds, ignoring the one that was opened close to the sewage systems. I sent my most powerful minions there, so that they would all be able to pass through it before the humans could close it. They already worked on the closing of the other Gates – I could somewhat delay the process by quickly reversing the vortex polarities, but that did not prevent the Gate from being closed. The battle went on with burning fervor.

Another Gate collapsed, five remained. I ordered the Arachnotrons to quickly move forward and crush the fortified areas where the control rooms for the accelerators were. With a powerful crash, a building in the western sector fell apart, opening the way into the marine barracks – several Black Containers were already there, prepared to raise countless dead marines as Former Commandos, which would aid us in the battle. Four Gates remained – one of the accelerators was already under our control! Several powerful explosions ripped through the administrative buildings, sowing panic among the human defenders. Three Gates remained.

All but two of the accelerators were under our control – my troops focused on the storage houses and the last laboratory buildings that were trying to repel the invasion. When the fifth Gate collapsed, my warriors had already breached the bunker where the last marines were desperately fighting to halt our advance and call for reinforcements. I sensed that only one Gate remained – the one kept to the side. I was success – all of my forces had passed through and the whole compound was swarmed by legions of demons and their undead servitors. One last explosion marked the end of the battle and the full control that we had gained over the place. The last Gate was to become the site of my manifestation in the mortal world, and there I would conduct my experiments.

* * *

Waves of pain accompanied the metamorphosis – as always. With bright flashes of energy, I transformed into the enormous head you saw, and took my place among the powerful machines that every Gatekeeper has to be able to build on his own. All connections were made and the harmony of flesh, machine, and magic was achieved. The Gate and I were one. Opening the Orifice of Summoning, I called forth more and more minions of Hell, which advanced in waves and invaded every corner of the compound. The last accelerator prototypes were hidden – the best of them brought before me, and set on two platforms built in the already transformed area. Next, the Arch Viles entered the Temple of Darkness and, following my instructions, disabled the traps and protections, and brought me two Void Spheres. With extreme care, these Spheres were installed inside the accelerators and connected to their systems according to my designs. The experiments could finally begin.

Yet, it was in that moment that I noticed the small green figure approaching the compound. I already knew who it was. I had longed for that meeting for a long time and finally you came to me, alone and determined as I was.

I do not have the strength to tell you all, and besides, you already know it. To clarify some dire situations in which you fell, I will reveal that I set quite a few traps for you. The first trap was supposed to destroy you at the first accelerator that was hidden in the marine commander’s headquarters – the Cyberdemon that suddenly attacked you, was quite a bad surprise, wasn’t it? Next was the Arch Vile labyrinth – entirely my idea, though I still cannot comprehend how you survived it and avoided the deadly false teleport that I had left there for you. The old Soul Spheres storage was the greatest trap that I had set for you – I did everything possible to lure you in there. You went to it, after passing through the Cyberden, and my army of Cyberdemons and Spider Masterminds ambushed you. But damned be that day, you survived again... Or perhaps I should admire your valor?

As a last expression of my respect for you, I will tell you of our last battle, the way I experienced it.

I was, in a way, happy that I finally met you personally. A few seconds of looking at you were enough – next came the battle. My plan was to throw everything I could summon at you while the redesigned accelerators opened a portal. That portal would open on the additional Focal Pillar, on which a Cyberdemon stood and launched missiles at you. Once the portal was open, the residual energies of the Shield would annihilate any human flesh in the area. That was how the Shield was designed as it was imperative that no human being ever reached the Elder Worlds again. I only had to delay you, and for that purpose, I was willing to sacrifice all the demons I had left.

I enjoyed watching you fight so close to me, each of your moves was perfect, even though you were wounded several times by my troops. As I tried to summon more and more of my minions, I felt that the balance was achieved for an attempt to breach the Shield – the accelerators were activated and the Void Spheres inside them started to glow as they met the force of the Shield. I felt its fabric tear slowly (I never imagined it was that powerful!) and then the impulse was lost. The bitter thought that I had to wait for another impulse, was overshadowed by the feeling that something tried to respond _from behind the Shield_. Whatever it was, its call was weak but aware of my actions. It was reacting to me!

* * *

A Baron of Hell fell down, struck by shotgun pellets – a Revenant quickly took his place, seeking the human’s death. Ah, that battle was fierce, though I wished it to end, in any way, as soon as possible. I had deliberately made the Focal Pillars with a more complicated design so that you could not use them as easily as you did when Baphomet fell. I felt another impulse was ready – I charged at the barrier once again, yet it still resisted after taking considerable damage. Again, I felt the response from the other side – it was more powerful and it was sure that something was trying to breach the Shield as well. I started to hesitate whether I should go on with the experiment...

It all ended when cruel Destiny punished me once again. Chased by Barons, Hell Knights, Revenants, and a horde of Lost Souls, you made several maneuvers and landed on top of the primary pillar. Seconds later, a missile was sent towards me, and the Orifice. A vast Universe of pain exploded before me as the missile hit. My tortured scream and several small explosions within the machinery mixed into a cacophony of chaotic noises. The pain was quickly forgotten when I felt that the Gate was destabilizing, threatening me with destruction. I had to stabilize it... quick. A powerful discharge of energy melted one of the support pillars nearby – the Gate was leaking plasma in the lower quadrant. Should more leakages appear, I would lose control over it, and the result would be catastrophic! My minions knew well what was going on, and quickly gathered, trying to push you into the pool of molten metal below.

Another steel support pillar was melted by a plasma discharge – another leak in the Gate had occurred and I was losing control as the last remnants of consciousness were trying to leave me. Strong vibrations shook the whole wall where the machines were installed – that could only mean that the Gate was starting to deform, and any hope of stabilizing it was lost. I could see the flames that erupted, and the energy discharges that became more frequent, melting the platforms nearby and my troops that were on them. The broken link between the accelerators and me caused an overload of energy, as the Void Spheres started to overheat, melting their way out of the devices and sinking into the stone floor, leaving magma in their wake. I just wanted it to end as I felt the vortex within me fragment while the walls of the whole building began to melt down.

Then came the second missile.

When I lost consciousness, the tremendous accumulated powers were unleashed in the form of a titanic explosion that caused an inverted Gate to form. It sucked the last surviving demons and the last accelerators together with the overheated Void Spheres. In a last effort to stay awake, I felt the spheres explode within Hell, unleashing the Voids they contained. Then darkness fell over me...


	27. DEATH

###  **EPILOGUE: DEATH**

This is where this story ends, little human. You won. You overcame all odds and proved to me that the world was nothing like what I had imagined. I have always wanted to know the truth... but I went too far. I may have fought for a lost cause, yet I regret nothing. I became convinced that Destiny itself guided you, and there is yet more you will do, for your battle will not end here. I have felt that there are still things to come and the future is dark for all of us. I know you will be able to handle everything that comes, and I am sure that the balance of Existence will remain safe. You defeated Hell and its masters, but now even greater enemies will rise before humanity – there are two threats that remain.

In my attempts to breach the Elder Worlds, I awakened something there. I could not identify it, but I felt that its power was growing as it tried to respond to me. Whatever it was, it now hungers and it will try to find a way into your world – you must be very careful, even though that might happen after a very long time. No matter – be alert at every moment and have faith in your abilities.

Still remember – the Elder Worlds had a foothold into your world millennia ago – for the Atlanteans that I fought in ages past, were clearly descendants of the ancient Disciples that ruled the Elder World and were loyal to the Deities... I never found out what they wanted with your world, but their furious attack upon me could mean that they were still in contact with one of the surviving Old Gods. This is the first threat you and your kind shall face. I cannot predict if this Deity would take any further action...

I do not know what happened in Hell, and whether there are survivors. If they are all dead – at least that would be a better fate than living among ruins with the thought of having been defeated by a single human. Yet demons pose the second threat against you.

* * *

Hell’s vengeance hangs heavily over humanity. One more infernal outpost remains, ruled by the last Spider Mastermind. It is here, in your Universe, on a planet far away, which has remained hidden and silent over the eons. It has grown strong over the ages and now it has the power to decimate the Earth and continue the plan that was given to it by Lord Baphomet himself. You cannot do anything about it – you will never find it. Never!

I may respect you and be nearing death but I will not tell you anything about it – I have never betrayed my own kind, and I will not do so now! Remember the lesson that I gave you – there is no absolute truth, there is no single correct point of view. There are many truths and many outlooks on the world. Your purpose in your ridiculously short mortal life is to defend your own truth and find your own place, without being manipulated by the greater powers that lurk in the Void. You are already watched – the recent disturbances have caught the Deities’ attention and their long sleep may finally be broken. Whatever comes, defend your own truth, and let your brethren defend theirs. Value life and freedom.

Everything else is just a distraction...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What comes next?
> 
> \- "The Lost Memories" - A supplement to the Gatekeeper's Chronicles. There were some stories that couldn't be included in the original work, but I couldn't figure out how to insert them into it, so I turned them into a separate work altogether. Think of it as an "add-on" or "expansion" to the main fan fic. Besides, I yearned for an opportunity to get another taste of that lovely first-person POV storytelling (it's my favorite), so this motivated me to begin writing The Lost Memories in late 2005... though I had to abandon it at one point due to real life circumstances. And thus this work went through a long hiatus until it was finally finished in 2014 (9 years after starting it). Its turbulent history make this work even more precious to me.
> 
> \- "The Gatekeeper's Shadow" - The actual sequel to the Chronicles. Originally titled "Baphomet's Secret", but I changed it later because it didn't fit so well. Ditches the first-person POV and goes back to more traditional storytelling. But then again, I missed writing in the first person, which is why I started a side project (the aforementioned Lost Memories).
> 
> \- "The Gatekeeper's Legacy" - The third part of the series. Planned for more than 10 years... and not written yet :(


	28. GLOSSARY

##  **The Gatekeeper’s Chronicles**

###  **Glossary**

**Arachnotron:** Demon quasi-species / cybronic construct. Using advanced alien technology, the forces of Hell were able to breed artificial brains and mount them on sturdy metallic chassis, armed with plasma cannons. The brains were infused with the tormented spirits of ancient humans. Warped by Hell’s chaotic power, they became fully loyal to Baphomet and joined his ranks as some of the most powerful warriors of Hell.

**Arch Vile:** Demon species – humans who had committed the most terrible of crimes and blasphemies, losing their souls to darkness while still alive. Warped by Baphomet’s will, they have been turned into demonic entities that possess tremendous arcane powers, including the power of demonic resurrection.

**Atlanteans:** Ancient human civilization that had discovered and tamed the power of magic, as well as high technologies. Descendants of the last surviving Disciples that had somehow found a way into the mortal realm.

**Baphomet:** A fallen Deity (formerly one of the Old Gods). Embodiment of chaos and innate rebellion against imposed order. Rumored to have secretly played a role in the fall of the Elder Worlds. Stormed from the ranks of the Deities to form a realm of his own – Hell. Creator and mentor of the Gatekeepers.

**Baron of Hell:** Hell Knights that have consumed the blood of Gatekeepers. They underwent a metamorphosis that bestowed an insatiable lust for conquest upon them, increased their strength and stamina, as well as their magical abilities, turning them into some of the most powerful commanders of Hell.

**BFG 9000:** An experimental weapon, mutual project of the military and the UAC. The weapon quickly accumulates a heavy load of energy and unleashes a massive discharge of plasma and anti–matter that inflicts severe damage upon many targets at once. In its name abbreviation, the “B” stands for “big,” and the “G” stands for “gun.” There has been some speculation about the meaning of the “F.”

**Black Container:** A powerful demonic artifact of unknown origins. It unleashes a powerful necromantic spell that raises dead humans as Former Humans – persistent undead warriors, possessing immense bloodlust and unholy strength.

**Cacodemon:** Demon species. Spawned by Baphomet manifestations of sadism and perversity. Originally bred to torture the hapless human souls in Hell, yet proved to be powerful airborne warriors. Cacodemons are enormous levitating cyclop heads that belch explosive gas orbs, also known for their chilling grins and unrelenting cruelty.

**Catacombs:** An area of Hell – resting place for many of the sinful souls. The Angel of Death, the former master of the Netherworld controlled the lower, sealed section of the catacombs, where he gathered an increasing army of ethereal wraiths before being slain by a mortal hero who descended into the lower catacombs, holding the Spear of Destiny. The lower catacombs are not accessible by any other means.

**Cyberdemon:** One of the ancient demons that inhabited the Obsidian Canyons. Their origins are unknown, though it is theorized that they were once the guardians of the small world of Quake (one of the five Original Worlds). They were not able to survive on other worlds (for unknown biological reasons) until adaptive cybernetic technology turned them into living machines, finally able to offer their full support to Baphomet’s armies.

**Deities (Old Gods):** Immensely powerful extra–dimensional entities that came into being with the beginning of Existence and the formation of the Universes. They were the first to create five worlds from the emptiness of the Void, and ruled over their mortal creations that inhabited them through the elite sect known as the “Disciples” until a fateful great Rebellion that destroyed the existing order. Baphomet was one of the Deities.

**Dimension of the Doomed (Realm of Earth Magic):** One of the five Original Worlds – a nexus point for humans’ magic powers that were fundamentally different from the power of the Old Gods. The world was inhabited by a small group of magi (non–Disciples) that studied and attuned the flows of arcane power.

**Dis:** An enormous palace that stands on a height at the northeast end of Inferno, designed to be the headquarters of the commander of Inferno (for reasons unknown Baphomet always appointed lieutenants as ruler of the continent). Contains vast treasuries, armories and vaults of dark artifacts.

**Disciples:** Elite sect of humans in the Elder World, chosen by the Deities themselves. They were the physical embodiment of their power over humanity, specially trained in magic and manipulation, and the mediators between the mortals and the Old Gods. Their end came with the Great Rebellion that overthrew their order and led to the fall of the Original Worlds.

**Elder Runes:** Ancient artifacts of unimaginable power, forged by the Old Gods. Each of those runes carried the very essence of a primal aspect of magic: Earth magic (human spellcraft), Black magic (evil force), Netherworld magic (pure chaos), and Elder magic (Old Gods’ power). It is said that the one who possesses the four runes would be granted power, rivaling that of the Old Gods themselves.

**Elder World:** One of the five Original Worlds. Home of humanity as it was first created by an unknown force or Deity. Its center of power was the City of the Disciples – an enormous citadel that was built within a giant crater that was formed by a cataclysmic eruption of arcane energy. The Elder World was a warm but humid world, complete with forests and oceans that were known for their variety of colors (waters that ranged from light yellow, to dark purple).

**Former Human:** Slain human, raised by the evil force unleashed from a Black Container. The power of the Former Humans is determined by their skills while they were alive, and ranges from simple weak raised zombiemen to the vicious Former Commandos that had been skilled fighters while alive and quite lethal in their forced state of undeath.

**Fortress of Mystery:** An ethereal anomaly shaped as a very tall fortress, which consists of a single tower. It was there that Soul Spheres and demonic healing potions were developed. The fortress is able to shift in and out of existence, travel from place to place, and become invisible. It was used in the invasion and teleportation of Deimos.

**Gate:** A stabilized rupture in the fabric of time and space that folds the planar fabric in a way that connects two entirely different locations. The Gate’s stability and persistence is supported by a sophisticated framework of energy flows and tachyon vectors. Their true nature is shrouded in mystery, even for Gatekeepers, though they confidently describe it as “a singular rift, framed within the Void and anchored into the physical world by a reverse electromagnetic field.”

**Gatekeeper:** One of thirteen ancient demons, second in command to Baphomet himself in the hierarchy of Hell. Created by the fallen Deity himself during the earliest days of Hell, they possessed the power to shape reality per their wishes and open dimensional gateways. Their powers in dark sorcery were quite formidable, as well as their talents as field commanders.

**Great Rebellion:** An ancient and unprecedented uprising of humanity against the Disciples and their Old God masters. Led to the downfall of the Elder Worlds and their established order. It is rumored that Baphomet played a clandestine role in the events surrounding the rebellion.

**Hell:** A vast realm of pure chaos and a focal point of evil powers throughout the Multiverse. Dimensionally configured to siphon all human and non–human souls that carry evil within. Inhabited by exceptionally hostile and xenophobic creatures – demons, as well as their undead servitors.

**Hell Keep:** Entrance point for the human souls into Hell. Guards the entrance into Inferno. Contains reliquaries and the Halls of Records, where all souls trapped in Hell are listed.

**Hell Knight:** One of the first demonic species, spawned, according to legend, from the hairs of Baphomet’s beard that he spread all over the realm. Hell Knights are excellent warriors, possessing a good balance of stamina, cunning, brute strength, and basic warlock sorcery. They often serve as Baphomet’s elite guard.

**House of Pain:** Hellish facility built on the plains of Inferno. Its primary purpose was the production of food for demons by crushing human bodies and extracting their blood. Its high technology allowed it to emanate pure essence of pain in the form of eerie vapors through its exhausts – these vapors strengthen Hell and its overall aura of suffering.

**Icon of Sin:** A vast citadel in Hell, the seat of power, home of Lord Baphomet. Built by unknown technology and designs, it spreads Baphomet’s dark influence over the whole realm. It is said that anyone who would enter its halls would be lost forever as there is a potent spell of confusion that protects the whole area. The name is sometimes used to reference Baphomet himself.

**Imp:** Demon species – one of the first creatures formed by the volatile energies that Baphomet unleashed throughout Hell. Imps are roughly the size of a human, brown in color, possessing many spikes, excellent sight, the ability to cast fireballs upon their victims (primal warlock magical abilities, mostly underdeveloped), and burning hunger for the flesh and blood of mortals. Imps have many purposes in Hell’s hierarchy – from lowly menial workers and warriors to, in rare cases, commanders of demonic troop squads.

**Inferno:** One of Hell’s continents, part of a greater landmass, separated from its western counterpart by the Mountains of Agony. The boundaries of the continent were heavily fortified and the gates of the Hell Keep were the only entrance. Significant structures, such as the Pandemonium, the House of Pain, the Unholy Cathedral, and Dis were located there.

**Lost Soul:** Demon species/undead manifestation. Despair and the loss of all meaning in life, turn humans into Lost Souls when their spirits are devoured by Hell. These manifestations of anguish and frustration appear as burning horned skulls that are capable of levitating and propelling themselves at high speeds when they attacked. Hungry for the flesh and souls of the living, Lost Souls were deadly when encountered in packs. Ravenous and merciless, they were able to tear a victim into pieces within a minute.

**Monster Condo:** A huge demonic city to the west of the Mountains of Agony. Contained the largest demonic library in Hell, and therefore served as a gathering point for demons attracted by the mystic arts.

**Mt. Erebus:** The highest mount on the territory of Inferno, in Hell. Built on its top was a stronghold that keeps the Hellforge where many demonic artifacts were once crafted.

**Mountains of Agony:** A vast mountain range that separates the largest continent of Hell into two, the eastern half being known as Inferno. Covered with numerous walls and fortifications to bar any passage between the east and west.

**Netherworld:** The original realm of the dead, gatherer of dead souls, one of the five Original Worlds. It is characterized by vast smoldering wastelands, seas of hot magma and chaotic fields of black crystals. Supposedly, the Netherworld was ruled by the Angel of Death, who was later found in Hell. On very rare occasions, the realm was still capable of attracting souls and projecting manifestations on the mortal plane even after being locked under the Shield.

**“O” of Destruction:** A name for the circular area of ruins of old buildings, which were located in the center of the primary star port of Earth. It was there that a Gatekeeper installed a machine, creating a powerful force field, sealing the star port, and cutting off humanity’s escape route.

**Original Worlds:** Five worlds – the first to be ever created since the begging of Existence. Shaped by the Old Gods, there were five such worlds, and humanity was to inhabit the largest of them. Those realms were: The Realm of Earth Magic (Dimension of the Doomed), The Realm of Black Magic, The Netherworld, The Elder World, and Quake. The last was a small dark planet with mysterious purposes and properties.

**Pain Elemental:** Demon species/bio–energy anomaly. After consuming a specific number of pure human souls, a Lost Soul enters a state of metamorphosis, in which it is encased in a shell of scintillating energy. After a period of time that ranges from several hours to a few days, the Lost Soul is transformed into a Pain Elemental – brown colored, levitating cyclop head that possess underdeveloped limbs and the ability to spawn an unlimited number of Lost Souls – clones of the original specimen that formed the Elemental. The mechanism of the spawning, as well as the creature’s habits, remain unknown.

**Pandemonium:** A mighty fortress in Inferno. Base of operations for warrior demons that assaulted and pillaged numerous distant worlds. Contained the greatest armory of Hell as well as chambers where the loot from eons of demonic plunder was stored. The fortress has served other purposes as well, but they have yet to be discovered.

**Quake:** A small planet, one of the five original worlds. A seemingly undeveloped and dark world, it concealed a vast underground structure that, as it is theorized, was constructed by the Deities for their meetings and control over the other four worlds. The four great Runes of power were supposedly forged here as well. When the Shield was raised, one of the Old Gods (name uncertain) was left there to watch over the sealed worlds.

**Realm of Black Magic:** One of the five Original Worlds – a focal world of evil, chaos, and darkness. The uncontrollable side of magic (black magic) was concentrated on that world by the Old Gods so that they would be able to keep watch over it. Secretly chosen humans were sent there and allowed to study black magic and build their own shadowy civilization. Ruled by a council of five chosen magi, they existed until a civil war that erupted among them just prior to the Great Rebellion.

**Revenant:** Undead cybronic hybrid. One of Hell’s most sophisticated creations; essentially a cybernetically modified human skeleton that has been brought to life by the spirit of a slain demon (an ethereal image of the undead host can sometimes be seen around the bones). It attacks its victims with heat–seeking missiles or with its bare fists that strike with surprising strength and accuracy.

**Spear of Destiny:** An artifact of great, yet unknown power, brought from the one of the Elder Worlds. Used for the creation of a specific type of undead. It is also theorized that it could allow its wielder entry into the lower catacombs, inaccessible by any other means. A mortal hero entered that area, with the Spear in hand, and confronted the Angel of Death who resided there.

**Spider Mastermind:** Cybernetic/demonic quasi-species. Using the alien technology utilized for the creation of Arachnotrons to build larger and stronger hydraulic chassis that carry hideous chainguns, as well as enormous genetically modified brains. These brains were infused with the spirits of the necromancers that were once the most trusted advisors of the Gatekeeper who ruled over the assembled human tribes in Earth’s distant past. The Masterminds became Hell’s most loyal and mighty generals that lead the demonic legions into battle.

**Temple of Darkness:** The largest seat of Hell’s power ever on Earth. Built by a young Gatekeeper who had assumed control over the local groups of primitive humans and ruled over them for centuries. The Temple was used to store dark knowledge and many infernal artifacts, including Void Spheres.

**The Shield:** Excessively powerful protective spell cast by the Old Gods around the original Elder Worlds, severing them from time and space, and isolating them for an unlimited period of time. Everything sealed under the Shield is locked in stasis and does not age.

**Tower of Babel:** A demonic tower/temple built on Deimos after it was teleported to Hell. The warlord of the Cyberdemons used it to channel a potent ritual that opened Gateways to Earth and enabled the demonic invasion upon it.

**Unholy Cathedral:** An enormous temple on the northern hills of the continent of Inferno in Hell. Built to serve as a focal point for dark powers, and resting place of the so–called Unholy Bible – Baphomet’s prime token of power.

**Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC):** A powerful, unscrupulous human conglomerate on Earth that claimed an undisputed monopolist position with the discovery of a unique waste–processing technology. It built colonies on Mars and its moons, Phobos and Deimos, where secret experiments were performed.

**Void Sphere:** Powerful demonic artifact with enormous destructive potential. Creates a void of time and space causing a cataclysmic implosive effect. Nothing in the known Universe can resist the power of a Void Sphere.

**Warlock:** Secretive demon species that did not participate in the invasion of Earth. Primal users of demonic magic, they have the authority to set the rules of its usage throughout Hell and conduct research that leads to new discoveries in the field. Reclusive and mysterious, they seldom leave their temples and networks of crypts. Unconfirmed information describes Warlocks as very tall, Centaur–like, demons, the color of freshly spilled blood. All other information about them is speculative at best.

**Warrens:** A stronghold in Hell, resting place for the souls of the insane. The chaotic powers of the maddened spirits have warped the original structure into a close resemblance of the Hell Keep, yet parts of the genuine building remains, hidden in the Warrens’ darkest corners.

* * *

**If you've read all the way to this point - you have my most sincere thanks. This work means a lot to me and I am honored that I could share it with you :)**


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